FRANKFORT, Ky. — Friends, family, and fellow Service members gathered at the Kentucky Historical Society as U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Barger was promoted to the rank of colonel, Aug. 10.
Prior to Barger’s pinning, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Brian Wertzler, Kentucky’s deputy adjutant general, administered the state Oath of Office in front of Kentucky’s constitution. The symbolic moment underscored the Guard’s historical connection to the commonwealth.
“This was special to me because completing command at the 238th [Regimental Training Institute] a month ago was full circle—where I started off as a candidate and then was a TAC Officer, a trainer in the unit, and finally the regimental commander,” said Barger. “I thought no better fitting way to come full circle and renew my oath to the Commonwealth and then renew my oath to the United States of America.”
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Haldane Lamberton, Kentucky’s adjutant general, presided over the ceremony and spoke about the significance of Barger’s achievement.
“Not everybody makes it to the pinnacle of being a full colonel in today’s military,” said Lamberton, speaking to the family of Barger. “Our best folks are the ones who make it to the top of the pyramid. Your husband — your dad — is one of the best folks in our organization to make it.”
Barger joined the Kentucky National Guard in 1996 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers in August 2002 after completing the Kentucky Army National Guard Officer Candidate School (OCS) program.
Over the course of his career spanning four decades, Barger has served in multiple leadership roles, including commanding Kentucky’s 238th Regiment, the 206th Engineer Battalion, and the 613th Engineer Facilities Detachment. He has also served as operations and executive officer for the 201st Engineer Battalion, a training, advising, and counseling (TAC) officer for Kentucky’s OCS program, and the commander of the 577th Sapper Company.
Barger has also deployed several times in support of federal and state missions, including Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation Enduring Freedom, and multiple natural disasters.
“We’re a better organization because of John’s efforts and his service to the Kentucky National Guard,” Lamberton said. “That, I believe, is a key reason that a lot of us stay in uniform and continue to serve—because we get to work with other quality folks.”
Barger’s wife, Leanne, and his children, Sarah Grace and Owen, pinned him with his new rank, marking the career milestone.
After Lamberton administered the federal Oath of Office, Barger addressed his friends, family, and colleagues.
“Time has proven over and over again that Kentuckians are just built different,” Barger said. “As you walk the aisles of the building, you’re confronted with the grit, sacrifice, and quiet resolve of those who came before us. It’s an undeniable reminder of what it means to be a Kentucky militiaman.”
Barger will be assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters staff to support the Kentucky National Guard’s continued transformation for large-scale combat operations and homeland defense.
“I want to apply my recent experiences and relationships as regimental commander and my engineering expertise toward the greater good,” Barger said. “I was blessed to work extensively with the Kentucky Guard's field artillery and fires enterprise. I learned about current and emerging technologies, as well as how allies fight, thrive, and survive when facing an adversary's modern tech. When blended with my expansive engineering background, this experience offers deep insight into force protection and military engineering requirements.”
While Barger’s new assignment focuses on the future, he expressed the importance of learning from the past.
“Our motto, ‘Fight as Kentuckians,’ isn’t just a catchy phrase or a battlefield command — it’s a standard of character, resilience, loyalty, and remembering where we come from,” Barger said. “The lessons preserved in these halls teach us how our predecessors fought, endured, and served.”
“As I put on the eagle today, I commit to carrying those lessons forward, holding fast to that standard, and leading with the same spirit that defines the commonwealth.”