Capt. Jonathan Barnett’s Unit Training Iraqis To Run Facility

This Thanksgiving more than 3,200 Wisconsin soldiers will celebrate the holiday in Iraq. One of those soldiers is Capt. Jonathan Barnett, who is from Onalaska.

Barnett serves as executive officer for Alpha Company, 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion.

That means he oversees the daily running of his compound, which is located northwest of Baghdad.

It is his second tour of duty.

“I’m stationed at Camp Taji. We are responsible for the care and custody of detained personnel in Iraq,” Barnett said. “I want to say hello to all my family back home and my wife Trina and our two children, Joshua and Ainsley. My brother Mike is here with us in the unit. We’re looking forward to getting back home and I’ll be starting back with UW Law School as soon we get back and get things settled.”

Barnett said he carries photos of his family with him on his clipboard. He said he also has a copy of the Declaration of Independence that is in his bag every day.

His unit is training Iraqis to eventually take over running the facility.

Barnett said he can’t wait to get home. His family is holding Christmas in February, after the 32nd Brigade returns.

Editor’s Note: Capt. Jonathan Barnett is one of 32 soldiers agreeing to share his story for a WISC-TV and Channel 3000 multimedia project, “32 Faces of the 32nd.” For more soldiers’ stories, visit C3K’s 32 Faces of the 32nd Section.