Maj. Gen. Abel Barrientes is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The command consists of three numbered Air Forces located throughout the Pacific with responsibilities for the Air Force activities spread over half the globe. The command supports more than 45,000 Air Force personnel consisting of active duty, Air Guard and Reserve, servicing principally in Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Japan and South Korea.
A native of San Antonio, General Barrientes was commissioned in 1982 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He flew the T-39, C-21 and C-5 before being released from active duty in 1989. General Barrientes then entered the Air Force Reserve unit program at Travis Air Force Base, California, flying the C-5. He has held command positions at the squadron, wing and numbered Air Force levels. The general was mobilized for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990, and for operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in 2003. In 2006, he was deployed as the Senior Military Advisor to the Iraqi Air Force.
General Barrientes is a command pilot with more than 5,700 hours of military flight time. In his civilian capacity, he is employed as a commercial airline captain with more than 11,000 hours of civilian flying time.
EDUCATION
1982 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1988 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2004 Air War College, by correspondence
2006 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2008 Master of Business Administration, Touro University International, Calif.
2008 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2009 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2009 Joint Forces Reserve Orientation Course, Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, Va.
2010 Commander Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, USAF Expeditionary Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
2010 Senior Manager Course in National Security, George Washington University, D.C.
2010 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1982 - July 1983, Student, pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. August 1983 - November 1984, CT-39A Pilot, Detachment 4, 1401st Military Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
3. November 1984 - August 1986, C-21A Aircraft Commander, Det. 4, 1401st Military Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
4. August 1986 - June 1988, C-5 Aircraft Commander, 75th Military Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. June 1988 - November 1989, Wing Operations Airlift Director, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
6. December 1989 - September 1999, Flight Examiner, Instructor, Aircraft Commander, Squadron Chief Instructor Pilot, 312th Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
7. October 1999 - November 2001, Chief Pilot, 312th Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. November 2001 - December 2003, assistant operations officer, 312th Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. January 2004 - July 2006, Commander, 312th Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. July 2006 - November 2006, Senior Advisor to Iraqi Air Force, New Al Muthana Air Base, Iraq.
11. December 2006 - January 2008, Inspector General, 4th Air Force, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
12. January 2008 - December 2008, Vice Commander, 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
13. December 2008 - March 2011, Vice Commander, Headquarters, 4th Air Force, March ARB, Calif.
14. March 2011 – September 2013, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii.
15. October 2013 – present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Commander, Pacific Air Forces, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2006 - November 2006, Senior Advisor to Iraqi Air Force, New Al Muthana Air Base, Iraq, as a colonel
2. March 2011 – September 2013, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations (J3), Headquarters U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, as a colonel and brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 5,700
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, T-39, C-21, C-5A/B, B-727, B-737, B-757, B-767, MD-88/90, L-1011
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and silver and four bronze oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with three 'M" devices
Kuwait Liberation Medal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal, Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1982
First Lieutenant June 2, 1984
Captain June 2, 1986
Major June 2, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 13, 2001
Colonel June 1, 2006
Brigadier General Feb. 17, 2012
Major General April 11, 2015
(Current as of September 2017)