3d Cavalry Regiment Commander

Col. Jeffrey Barta

COL Barta is a native of Columbus, OH.  He was commissioned as an Armor Officer in the U.S. Army in May 1999 from the Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Illinois. 

Upon completion of the Armor Officer Basic Course, his first assignment was at the Great Place in TX as a tank platoon leader and tank company executive officer in the 2^nd Battalion, 12^th Cavalry, 2nd Brigade, 1^st Cavalry Division.  Following the Armor Captains Career Course, he served in Germany in the 1^st Armored Division as the Deputy SGS and the Troop Commander of G Troop, 1^st Cavalry.  At the Joint Multinational Training Center in Hohenfels he served as a maneuver company and a task force S3 observer controller, trainer.  After graduation from the Command and General Staff College, he served as the Executive Officer for the 2^nd Battalion, 506^th Infantry and the BCT Operations Officer for the 4^th Brigade and 506^th Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY.  He then served as a task force S3 and BCT S3 observer controller, trainer at the National Training Center.  He was the Professor of Military Science at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, commanded the 3^rd Squadron of the 16^th U.S. Cavalry at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and served as the Scorpion team senior maneuver task force trainer at the National Training Center. Following the Army War College, he served as the J33 at U.S. European Command.

COL Barta’s operational deployments include Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Iraq; Operation ASSURED DELIVERY, Republic of Georgia; and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Afghanistan. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois, a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University, a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville, and a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

COL Barta’s awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal; Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star; Iraq Campaign Medal with one star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals; Armed Forces Service Medal with one star, Humanitarian Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 4; the NATO ISAF Medal, the Combat Action Badge; Ranger Tab; Air Assault Badge; Parachutist Badge; Meritorious Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster; and the Army Superior Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster.   He holds gold and silver spurs, is a distinguished member of the 506^th Infantry Regiment, and earned three OC/T belt buckles. He received the Bronze medallion of the Order of Saint George and the Legionnaire medallion of the Order of Saint Maurice.