Barras retires from U.S. Army after 30 years

After 30 years of serving in the U.S. Army, Paul Barras of Abbeville has decided to retire and accept a civilian job at Tulane University Hospital and a teaching position at LSU Health Science Center in New Orleans.
His official retirement date was Aug. 1, 2021.
Barras, the son of Ray and Jane Barras of Abbeville, graduated from Abbeville in 1984 and then attended USL where he graduated in nursing in 1988.
After graduating nursing, he looked into enrolling into anesthesia school but learned there was a waiting list. So, Barras applied for and was granted a direct commission in the U.S. Army in 1991. Barras entered the Army as a 2LT and was immediately assigned to the 2nd Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, Ft Benning, He rose to the rank of Colonel over the last 30 years.
USARUT GA. - In this initial assignment, Col. Barras learned the complexities in providing emergency and critical care in austere, under-resourced environments. Col. Barras was then selected to attend the University of Texas / US Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia Nursing graduating in 1996 with a Master of Anesthesia Nursing from the University of Texas, Health Science Center Houston.
Col. Barras has practiced Anesthesia Nursing and served as Chief Anesthesia Nursing at Womack Army Medical Center, FT Bragg NC, Darnall Army Medical Center, FT Hood, TX, Bayne Jones Army Hospital, FT Polk, LA and Heidelberg Medical Facility Heidelberg, Germany.
He has served as adjunct faculty and clinical preceptor for numerous anesthesia residency and teaching programs to include the US Army Anesthesia Nursing program, Baylor University, Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University, and Louisiana State University.
Col. Barras had the privilege of providing anesthesia care in numerous forward deployed capacities, to include Special Operations Surgical and Resuscitative Teams, Forward Surgical Teams, Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals, and Combat Support Hospitals. Col. Barras has served multiple tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, across the African continent, and underway with the U.S. Navy in the Indian Ocean. For seven years, from 2005-2012, Col. Barras served as a member of the Joint Medical section of Joint Special Operations Command, FT Bragg, NC.
In this operational role, Col. Barras provided direct surgical and resuscitative mission support, trauma and tactical casualty training, and advisory support to team members from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine top tier, antiterrorism Special Operation forces.
In 2014, Col. Barras completed a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. Subsequently, COL Barras was selected to serve on the U.S. Army Medical Department Command, Office of the Surgeon General Staff as the Director of the Army Comprehensive Pain Management Program, Falls Church, VA. As the program director, Col. Barras managed the $33 million network of Army Comprehensive Pain Management Centers and over 300 support personnel and providers across the Army enterprise.
He was then assigned as Chief Clinical Operations and Chief Nurse, US Army Forces Command Surgeon’s Office, FT Bragg, NC.
Col. Barras’ professional military education includes the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Army Command and General Staff College, and Senior Service College at National Defense University. Col. Barras has been recognized by the Army Surgeon General with the “A” Proficiency Designator presented to leaders in the Army Medical Department who have achieved national prominence in their respective career field.
Additionally, Col. Barras has been recognized as an inductee in the Order of Military Medical Merit for his contributions and accomplishments in the Army Medical Department. He had the honor of serving as the Anesthesia Nursing Consultant to the Army Surgeon General from 2014 to 2018.
Barras has been happily married to Theresa (also a graduate of USL Bachelor of Science in Nursing) for 32 years and has two grown sons.
His eldest, Cody, is married to Meagan and live in New Orleans, LA. Fred, his youngest, is a junior at Appalachian State University, Boone NC majoring in Criminal Justice.
The Barras family is now living in New Orleans.