BG Michael B. Barrett, USAR, ’68, Military History Graduate Student Award

Professor Michael B. Barrett exemplifies The Citadel’s ideal of the citizen-soldier-scholar. He graduated from The Citadel in 1968 and was commissioned into the United States Army as an armor officer. He then served in a combat zone, completed active-duty service, and subsequently entered the doctoral program in history at the University of Massachusetts. While still working on his Ph.D., he joined the history faculty of The Citadel in 1976 and commenced a distinguished academic career as teacher, scholar, and mentor. Parallel to this career, Professor Barrett continued to serve his country. He retired from the United States Army Reserve as Brigadier General in 2004 with a resume of assignments that included commands at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. Despite the time constraints of his military service, Professor Barrett excelled as a teacher and scholar. He packed the classroom with interested students and garnered two awards for distinguished teaching. No less remarkable, he became an internationally respected scholar of World War I. His books Operation Albion (2008) and Prelude to Blitzkrieg (2013) were part of a renaissance in the study of the Eastern Front. His 2010 volume Clausewitz Reconsidered (co-authored with distinguished military historian H.P. Willmott), remains one of the more important books on that Prussian military intellectual. All told, Professor Barrett’s scholarly works have been published and translated in at least ten different languages. Professor Barrett always understood the value of original research both in his work and that of his students. The BG Michael B. Barrett, USAR, ’68, Military History Graduate Student Award is a fitting recognition of Professor Barrett’s accomplishments that should inspire future generations of military history graduate students in their research.