Barry was in the Australian Army for more than 22 years spending much of his time in the Infantry Corps. This is where he learnt the craft of landmine clearance, demolitions and unexploded ordnance disposal techniques. He was instrumental in designing the Scorpion Landmine Clearance System. It was these qualifications and experience that lead to his employment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Captured Enemy Ammunition (CEA) programme in Iraq and much later in charge of land mine clearance operation of a huge mine field that extended the full length of the northern side of Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan.