Navy Bio
MMCM (SS/DV) John Barber
Engineering Department Master Chief, Submarine Squadron Eleven
Master Chief Barber was born in Toledo, Ohio, on March 3, 1968, and entered the Navy in February 1987. He attended recruit training in Orlando, Florida followed by Machinist’s Mate Nuclear “A” School at NFAS, Orlando and Naval Nuclear Power School (NNPS), Orlando. He was certified as a Nuclear Operator at S3G Prototype, Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU) Ballston Spa, New York.
His first submarine assignment was aboard USS JACKSONVILLE (SSN-699), homeported in Norfolk, VA, from December 1988 to May 1994. During this tour he deployed onboard the USS BATON ROUGE (SSN-689) and the USS AUGUSTA (SSN-712) in 1989 where he qualified in submarines and earned his Silver Dolphin warfare pin. He qualified Engineering Watch Supervisor (EWS) and Engineering Duty Petty Officer (EDPO) during this tour.
He reported to PCU CHEYENNE (SSN-773) in Newport News, VA in June 1994. As a plankowner of the USS CHEYENNE (SSN-773) following her commissioning, he served onboard through homeport assignment to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, transiting the Panama Canal, in March 1998. It was during this tour that he qualified as a Navy SCUBA Diver in Panama, City, Florida. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer during his tour.
Master Chief Barber reported to Moored Training Ship (MTS) 635 at NPTU, Charleston, South Carolina for Instructor Duty in May 1998. Following qualification as Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW) and Engineering Duty Officer (EDO), he served as Leading Crew Chief of Crew A on MTS-635 until August 2001. He was certified as a Master Training Specialist during this tour.
His follow-on sea tour was on the USS TOPEKA (SSN-754) stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He reported for duty in August 2001 as a Chief Petty Officer and served as Machinery Division Leading Chief Petty Officer. Shortly after promotion to Senior Chief in 2002, he served as Engineering Department Master Chief following change of home port to San Diego, California. During this tour, the ship earned two Battle “E” Efficiency awards, two Engineering “E” Efficiency awards and an Excellent on the Operational Safeguards Examination in 2005. He was promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer in 2005.
Master Chief Barber served as Engineering Department Master Chief at Submarine Squadron Eleven, San Diego, California from July 2005 to July 2009.
He is currently assigned as the Plant Master Chief of the Moored Training Ship MTS-635 at Nuclear Power Training Unit, Charleston SC.
Master Chief Barber is entitled to wear the Navy Commendation Medal (four awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (four awards) and Navy Good Conduct Medal (five awards). Among other unit and campaign awards, he is proud to wear the Navy Unit Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal (two awards) and Battle “E” (two awards).
