Colonel Ryan D. Barnett has been all over the US during his 22-year career. He deployed to Germany, Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan (in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2018-2019 and 2021).
Col. Barnett is coming from the U.S. Naval College in Newport, Rhode Island where he graduated in June with a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He received his master’s degree in Business Administration and commission as an Engineer Officer from Arkansas State University.
He is highly decorated, having four times been awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Additionally, he has four Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Achievement Medals,and three Army Commendation Medals (granted to soldiers exhibiting consistent acts of heroism or meritorious service).
Col. Barnett also has earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
Before his stint as the commander of the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain division, Colonel Matthew J. Hardman served as the Chief of Staff for the Office of Security-Cooperation Iraq at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Previously, he served as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University and as the Light Task Force Trainer and the Senior Brigade Combat Team Trainer at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California. He commanded 3rd Battalion, 509th PIR “GERONIMO” at Joint-Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska. He also served as the Executive Officer/Research Director for the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Operation Iraqi Freedom Study Group, the Brigade Executive Officer and Brigade Chief of Current Operations for 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Battalion Operations Officer for 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry. He served as a staff officer and company commander in 2nd Battalion, 505th PIR and as a lieutenant in 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry during its transition from a Mechanized to Stryker Infantry formation.
Col. Hardman is a graduate of the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Davidson College and a master’s degree in history from George Washington University.
Col. Hardman will continue on at Fort Polk as commander of Operations Group, where he took over from Colonel Andrew O. Saslav in a second change of command ceremony, which occurred at Building 1560, also known as the Glass House.
Col. Saslav was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduating from George Washington University in 1997. He also graduated from the U.S. Naval College of Command and Staff, and the U.S. Army War College.
He commanded the 25th Infantry Division’s Long Range Surveillance Detachment while assigned to 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. He commanded a Mechanized Infantry Rifle Company while assigned to 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea.
Col. Saslav was assigned as the Assistant Logistical Operations Officer in the 75th Ranger Regiment, as an Adjutant and Rifle Company Commander in 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and the Liaison Officer, Operations Officer then Executive Officer of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. While in the Ranger Regiment he conducted multiple deployments to Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Col. Saslav commanded the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Col. Saslav served as the Operations Officer, 4th Infantry Division Mission Command Element, United States Army Europe. He was assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Training of the 25th Infantry Division. He also served as the Aide-de-Camp to the 38th Chief of Staff of the Army.
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