Joseph R. Barkley graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1965 and branched Infantry. Following his first assignment in Germany, Joe Barkley deployed to Vietnam and was assigned to MACV Headquarters. Upon his return from Vietnam, he worked at the Infantry School before taking command of a company in 2/503 IN in Vietnam. After his second tour in Vietnam, he returned to several staff assignments before resigning in 1979 to enter the private sector.

In this interview, Joe Barkley shares his experiences as an Infantry officer during his two tours in Vietnam, and as a businessman after the Army. He discusses his experiences in combat, perceptions of victory in Vietnam, challenges in business, and how West Point prepared him for the Army and life beyond the military. He provides eyewitness observations about the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. The morning of the attack, he commuted through the World Trade Center immediately after the first plane hit, and was in his office, several blocks away, watching as the two towers fell.