Col. Catherine Barrington is the Commander of the 90th Missile Wing, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. She leads the wing’s 4,200 military, civilian and contractor personnel in defense of the United States. Combat-ready Airmen and nuclear forces provide strategic nuclear deterrence by operating, maintaining, securing and supporting 150 Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, which stand on alert and constantly ready to launch at the direction of the President of the United States.
Colonel Barrington received her commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 1997. She has served as a missileer and maintenance officer in the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system. During her first assignment at F.E. Warren AFB, she served as a Senior Instructor Combat Crew Commander. As a missile maintenance officer at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., she served as Facilities Flight Commander, Generation Flight Commander and Maintenance Operations Flight Commander. She held staff assignments at Headquarters, Air Force Space Command as Requirements Lead for an Advanced Space Control Program and as Speechwriter to the Commander. Col. Barrington returned to F.E. Warren AFB to serve as Commander, 319th Missile Squadron. After squadron command, she attended National War College. Prior to her current position, Colonel Barrington was the Director of Operations and Communications for Twentieth Air Force, F.E. Warren AFB.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in English, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2001 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Marine Corps Planning Process & Amphibious Warfare School, Phase 1, Quantico, Va., by correspondence
2003 Certificate in Organizational Management, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1997 - April 1998, Student, Undergraduate Space/Missile Training and Initial Qualification Training - Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Operations, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. May 1998 - June 2002, Senior Instructor Crew Commander, Commander Instructor, Deputy Evaluator, 90th Space Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
3. June 2002 - June 2003, Student, Air Force Intern, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
4. June 2003 - June 2006, Facilities Flight Commander, Generation Flight Commander, Maintenance Operations Flight Commander, 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
5. June 2006 - June 2011, Requirements Lead, Advanced Space Program, Commander’s Speechwriter, Headquarters, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
6. June 2011 - May 2012, Operations Officer, 90th Operations Support Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
7. May 2012 - June 2014, Commander, 319th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
8. July 2014 - June 2015, Student, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
9. June 2015 - June 2017, Division Chief, Operations Training and Standardization Division, Joint Staff J-33, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. June 2017 - July 2020, Commander, 91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
11. July 2020- June 2021, Director of Operations and Communications, 20th Air Force, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
12. June 2021- Present, Commander, 90th Missile Wing, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2015 - June 2017, Division Chief, Operations Training and Standardization Division, Joint Staff J-33, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
2001 AFSPC Company Grade Officer of the Year
2001 Air Force Association’s General Thomas S. Power Award Winner, Best ICBM Crew in the USAF
(Current as of June 2021)