Barry L. Cobb
Hall of Fame Class of 2001
Barry Cobb has provided the vision and the leadership to Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) for more than 20 years. His vision and leadership have enabled DANTES to provide education services to hundreds of thousands of military service men and women assisting them in achieving their personal and professional goals. As the Director of DANTES, Dr. Cobb established and maintains their overseas offices in Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, for military servicemembers serving in the Far East and in Heidelberg, Germany, for military servicemembers located in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
Dr. Cobb earned his bachelor's degree in 1964 and his master's degree in Social Science Education in 1966 from Florida State University. In 1976, he received a Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education from the University of California - Berkeley. He serves on advisory boards and panels including the congressionally-mandated Department of Veteran Affairs Education Advisory Committee, Harvard University's MLE Board, and the Florida State Board for Accreditation.
His leadership of DANTES has helped it become the premier federal education support agency in the U.S. and become widely recognized for its reliable support services within DoD. DANTES has had a very positive impact on the entire field of adult and continuing education by assuring the credibility of nontraditional programs administered for military personnel. He developed the DANTES Education Support, Assessment, and Training Department, the DANTES Education Programs Department, the DANTES Publications Distribution Center, and the DANTES Troops-to-Teachers Department. He oversaw the development and implementation of the Military Installation Voluntary Education Review process, which has been a major force in enhancing the quality and effectiveness of education programs offered to military personnel.
Dr. Barry Cobb has written several articles, educational directories, and guides on the social foundations of education and nontraditional education. Among his many recognitions are the Nickerson Medal of Merit from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in 1990; the Tilton Davis, Jr., Outstanding Educator Award, given by the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education in 1997; the EEO Honorary Award in 1998; the National Guard's Golden Eagle Award; and the Council of College and Military Educators President's Award in 1999.