Master Military Training Instructors "Blue Ropes"

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The Master Military Training Instructor Program was born out of the idea of the BMTS Commander, Colonel Thomas C. Richards, in approximately 1974.  He detailed then TSgt George Barrett to MCRD San Diego to work with the U.S. Marines on evaluating their program and adapting it to the U.S. Air Force.  Sergeant Barrett worked tirelessly on the program during his final year in BMT.  After he was reassigned to HQ Air Training Command the program was approved and in 1975 the initial cadre of 77 individuals were selected for this prestigious honor.  These individuals are known as the, "Original Blue Ropes."   

 

Because Sergeant Barrett had been reassigned from BMT when the program was initially instituted, he was not included in the original group of individuals who were selected for this honor.  Sergeant Barrett went on to achieve the rank of Chief Master Sergeant as a Defender and was hand-picked to develop and implement the security protocols for the Ground Launch Cruise Missile program when it was bedded down in Italy in mid-1980s.  In 2005, long after Chief Barrett had retired, he was finally awarded his Blue Rope in recognition of his hard work and efforts in developing this program.  He is affectionately known as the, "Father of the Blue Rope."