Michael Barker, an Air Force veteran of Operation Desert Storm, has been selected as Butler County’s 2026 Veteran of the Year, FOX19 reported. Mike Farmer, who leads the Butler County Veterans Service Office in Hamilton, said the selection committee made the choice unanimously and cited Barker’s continued service through the West Chester VFW, Honor Flight Tri-State and other county efforts.
Barker told the station he served as a B-52 crew member during the war and later built a family and career. He said his current involvement includes Honor Flight, the VFW, Butler County NANI and Blue Star Families. He also described his role in CVET, the Combat Veterans Empowerment Team, which pairs younger combat veterans with older veterans and has them travel together to Washington, D.C. According to Barker, the pairs continue to plan events after those trips, and he described the experience as restorative for both generations. He said the recognition was unexpected.
Barker is scheduled to be formally recognized at the Butler County Veterans Day Celebration, presented by Atomic Data, on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Hamilton.