FATHER OF THE BLUE ROPE:
CMSGT(RET) GEORGE BARRETT
BLUE ROPE MTIs

In 1973, while serving as an MTI at Lackland, George Barrett was sent TDY to the USMC Basic Training depo in San Diego California. He was sent to attend the USMC Drill Instructor School and to evaluate their Senior Drill Instructor program. On his return, he adapted the USMC program to fit the USAF and wrote the proposal that resulted in the current Blue Rope program - making George Barrett the:

"Father of the Blue Rope"

The irony of Chief Barrett's situation is that he PCSed from Lackland before the Blue Rope program became active and he never competed or received a Blue Rope of his own.

Did you ever wonder when and how the Blue Rope Program came about? Well, this year we celebrate the 30th year of it existence. On a warm summer day in 1975, 77 instructors were awarded their first Blue Ropes in a ceremony at the Lackland Air Force Base Parade Field. Since that day, it is estimated that more than 900 Blue Ropes have been presented, although there is no official count. But, how did it all begin?

In 1973, a young Master Sgt. named George Barrett, who was assigned to the Instructor Training Branch (present day MTIS), was called into the office of the BMT Commander, Colonel Tom Richards. Colonel Richards had a son who was a pilot in the Marine Corps and it came to his attention through this connection that the Marine Corps had a Master Drill Instructor Award Program. Wanting to create something similar for the Air Force, Colonel Richards informed Sgt. Barrett that he was going to go TDY to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at San Diego to learn more about the Marine Corps, specifically their Master Drill Instructor Award Program.

Over the next three months, Sgt. Barrett attended Drill Instructor School, weapons training, and even assisted in “pushing” a basic Marine platoon through “boot camp”. Upon his return, Sgt. Barrett collaborated with Chief Master Sgt Ed Kourt, Commandant of ITB, and Senior Master Sgt. Ed League, Training Superintendent of the 3710 BMTS, and the three of them wrote the program for Air Force MTIs. The program these three individuals authored was called the Master Military Training Instructor Award and it was equivalent to the Master Instructor Award that then Air Training Command (ATC) presented to their technical training school instructors.

The original requirements for the award were that an individual must have at least two years in the program, be between the grades of Sergeant and Technical Sgt., and be actively training basic trainees. In order to receive the coveted award, each nominee would take a written examination and be evaluated by the BMT Standardization Team on a drill class, using the then, 12-step format. Not everyone who was nominated would necessarily make the cut.

Before the program was implemented, Sgt. Barrett was reassigned to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, to serve with the Air Training Command’s Inspector General’s Office. While there, Sgt. Barrett was called upon to personally brief the ATC Commander, General John Roberts, on the proposed program. General Roberts’ response was enthusiastic and the program was officially born. By the time the program returned to BMT, some changes were made, most significantly making Senior NCOs eligible to receive the award as well.

If you ever get the chance to meet Chief Barrett, he will not be wearing a Blue Rope, but never forget, he was heavily involved in bringing it about for the instructors of today. While minor changes continued to be made, the underlying goal of the program has, and continues to be, to select and recognize the most outstanding instructors who serve within the Basic Military Training program.

(Contributed by Chief Master Sgt. George Barrett and Chief Master Sgt. John Pavey)