Born in Ft. Worth Texas, Barry grew up a middle child of 3 in a small suburban house.  Showing interest in things like muscle cars, John Wayne movies and general thrill seeking, he quickly developed a taste for adventure.  Little did he know his adventure was about to begin. In December 1967, Barry enlisted in the United States Marine Corps knowing full well he would be shipping out to fight in the Viet Nam War.  Unsurprisingly, Goodson had no issue fitting into boot camp. Some might say he enjoyed it a bit too much. Running extra laps on the obstacle course likely earned him more punishment than anything, but Goodson persisted for the thrill of it. 

His eager nature and proficiency with an M-14 rifle and the M-60 machine gun gained him the attention of command, which led to being initially assigned to Alpha Guns with Alpha 1/7 Marines on Hill 10, just south of Da Nang, Viet Nam. After three months in-country, following Operation Meade River, he joined a Special Operations unit called the Combined Action Program (CAP) Marines, a program created for marines to live amongst and aid local indigenous populations. Goodson initially served as the machine gunner for CAP124 in the Quang Tin Province but was rapidly moved to the position of Assistant Squad Leader with Taan, his Popular Forces (PF) counterpart always at his side. He spent his final months in the jungle with a small squad of Marines assisting local villages with anything from simple farm work to advanced defensive training for their local Popular Forces - young Vietnamese farmers and villagers committed to fighting the North Vietnamese Army (NVA). 

The PFs and CAP Marines worked together night and day to protect their homes from the NVA forces. Goodson and his Vietnamese counterpart Taan, sergeant of the Popular Forces soldiers, were so effective with their efforts that the enemy put a bounty on the CAP Marines equal to an entire year’s salary for a Vietnamese villager. Though tempting, no villagers attempted to collect on the bounty. The marines’ impact on their community had proven to be invaluable.

On April 25th, 1969 Goodson was hit with an artillery round, earning him the Purple Heart. The injuries ended Barry’s tour of duty, but a new war was awaiting him back home. 

View Goodson’s Personal USMC Documents

After graduating from Texas Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (BBA), Barry used his artistic background to pursue a career in architectural designs & sales. He led a fairly social life hosting parties often, one of which he met his wife Cindy. After many successful years and several ups and downs, he began looking for a change. A friend suggested he look into law enforcement, setting Goodson on his way to a career at the Parker County Sheriff’s Office. Goodson held several positions as a deputy sheriff including Lead Detective for the Crimes Against Children Task Force and 2nd in command of the Criminal Investigation Division. Barry applied the community-based methods he learned as a CAP Marine and quickly became a favorite among the locals. His ambitious ability to handle seemingly any situation earned him the nickname Tacklebarry, after the gung-ho officer from the movie Police Academy.

Through all of this, Barry’s time back in the states remained a struggle. Many Americans despised veterans in protest of the Viet Nam War, leaving Goodson in the crossfire. This alienation only furthered his struggles with PTSD. In an effort to alleviate his pain, Cindy suggested he write his memories down as a form of therapy. This practice soon turned into the novel CAP Môt, Barry’s first published book about his experiences as a CAP Marine in the Viet Nam War. 

Barry’s writing touched many lives of others who experienced the horrors of the Viet Nam War, some of which reached out to Barry to share their stories as well. One such connection was particularly noteworthy. In an event infamously known as the TET of ‘69, Goodson’s squad of CAP Marines were being overrun by a massive NVA assault. Barry’s attempts to radio for reinforcements were met with a stubborn command refusing to believe the Marines actually needed assistance. A second voice abruptly interrupted the radio operator, advising that he was sending in the helicopters in hopes that the attempt would prevent the annihilation of CAP124. These actions saved Barry’s life that night, along with all but one member of the squad, and it wasn’t until years later that this man recognized his story in CAP Môt and introduced himself.

His name was Colonel Larry Beale. 

After his children Haley and Brad were born, Barry started considering a safer line of work. He eventually decided to follow in his wife’s footsteps and become a teacher. Barry worked for several years at Springtown ISD teaching courses in criminal justice and building trades, while his wife, Cindy, taught Family & Consumer Science. Though he enjoyed his career as a high school teacher, his drive continued pushing him to a new challenge, and perhaps a taste of the past.

His combined experience as an educator, deputy and Marine landed him the position of Central Region Commander of the ANCOP program in Afghanistan training local Afghan forces in modern police tactics. Again, his skills learned as a CAP Marine quickly earned him favor with the local population. Goodson’s drive also piqued his interest in higher education. While still stationed overseas, he attended the University of Phoenix and earned a Master of Science in Administrative Justice and Security, which allowed him to begin pursuing a teaching career in higher education.

Barry now serves as full-time faculty with Columbia Southern University and an adjunct professor with the University of the Virgin Islands teaching several courses such as counterterrorism, criminal investigations, and numerous other criminal justice and homeland security courses. He is a certified Administrative Trainer for the Department of Homeland Security CISA Bomb-Making Materials Awareness -Community Liaison Program (BMAP-CL) and has acquired high-level certifications such as the CHPP (Certified Homeland Protection Professional). Additionally, Goodson serves as the Vice President of the Human Trafficking Investigations and Training Institute (HTITI), which specializes in both civilian and law enforcement training in anti-human trafficking measures and forensics investigations.

Throughout his years in the military, law enforcement and higher education, Barry Goodson has lived a life full of excitement, danger, knowledge and passion. Leaving a trail of positive change in his wake, his actions will undoubtedly leave a mark for years to come.

Barry is currently living in Florida with his family, celebrating the release of his new book Country Cop, a collection of true stories from his life as a Parker County Deputy Sheriff.