Col. Barry D. Roche is the commander of 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 27 SOMSG provides base support and services activities to ensure mission readiness of the 27th Special Operations Wing, including facility construction and maintenance, housing, food service, law enforcement, fire protection, explosive ordnance disposal, disaster preparedness, communications, personnel support, lodging, recreation, supply, contracting, transportation, logistics plans and other base services supporting military personnel, civilian employees, their families and retirees for all units and associated organizations on Cannon. Prior to his command, Col. Roche served as Director, United States Forces Korea Joint Cyber Center at Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea. As JCC Director, he was responsible for planning and synchronizing cyberspace forces and capabilities in support of the Commander, USFK and Combined Forces Command.
Col. Roche earned his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in June of 1999. Throughout his career, he has served in a variety of leadership positions to include command at the 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, the 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, and service as the Deputy Commander at the Joint Communications Support Element. Other career highlights include serving as the lead for Air Force expeditionary communications at Air Force Space Command, serving as the C4I Director at the Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group located on Fort Bragg, N.C., where he directed worldwide communications planning for air assets supporting Joint Special Operations missions, and an assignment to the Joint Staff where he served as Chief of National Strategy Analysis and later as Division Chief of the Information Technology Service Division.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics, Unites States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs,
Colo.
1999 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Basic Communications and Computer Systems Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2003 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Master of Science Degree in Telecommunications, Southern Methodist University, Texas
2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Ala.
2019 Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies, College of International Security Affairs (National
Defense University), Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1999 - June 2001, Communications and Information Officer, 81st Communications Squadron, Keesler AFB, .
2. June 2001 - May 2002, Flight Commander, Mission Systems Flight, 81st Communications Squadron, Keesler AFB, Okla.
3. May 2002 - September 2003, Chief, Computer Systems Support, 605th Air Communications Flight, Yokota AB, Japan
4. September 2003 – April 2004, Chief, Network Systems, 605th Air Communications Flight, Yokota AB, Japan
5. April 2004 - July 2005, Executive Officer, 605th Air Operations Group, Yokota AB, Japan
6. July 2005 - July 2009, Flight Commander, 3rd Combat Communications Support Squadron and 33rd Combat Communications Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
7. July 2009 - May 2010, Deputy Chief, Cyber Network Branch, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
8. May 2010 - August 2011, Chief, Expeditionary Cyber Communications, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. August 2011 – June 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2012 – July 2014, Commander, 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
11. July 2014 – June 2016, C4I Director, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
12. June 2016 – June 2017, Commander, 379th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
13. June 2017 – July 2018, Deputy Commander, Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. August 2018 – June 2019, Student, College of International Security Affairs (National Defense University), Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
15. June 2019 – June 2020, Chief, National Strategy Analysis, Joint Staff J6 C4/Cyber Requirements Division, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
16. June 2020 – July 2021, Chief, Information Technology Services Division, Joint Staff Directorate of Management, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
17. July 2021 – May 2022, Director, Joint Cyber Center, United States Forces Korea, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea
18. June 2022 – Present, Commander, 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group, Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014 – June 2016, C4I Director, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
2. June 2017 – July 2018, Deputy Commander, Joint Communications Support Element, MacDill AFB, Fla.
3. June 2019 – June 2020, Chief, National Strategy Analysis, Joint Staff J6 C4/Cyber Requirements Division, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
4. June 2020 – July 2021, Chief, Information Technology Services Division, Joint Staff Directorate of Management, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
5. July 2021 – May 2022, Director, Joint Cyber Center, United States Forces Korea, Camp Humphreys, Republic of Korea
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars
(Current as of June 2022)