[1] After spending two years at sea as a cadet-midshipman aboard USS Essex, he was transferred to the Marine Corps and was appointed a second lieutenant on 1 July 1883.

Barnett, as a captain, came ashore for duty at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in May 1901, and was promoted to major shortly afterwards.

Barnett was then transferred from the Philippine Islands to Washington, D.C., in April 1905, and shortly after arriving in the United States received a promotion to lieutenant colonel.

He attended the Naval War College in 1906 and served as Commanding Officer, Marine Barracks, Navy Yard in Washington for a period of one year when he was again placed in command of an expeditionary battalion which sailed on board USS Minneapolis for Havana, Cuba, where it landed and became part of the Army of Cuban Pacification.

A large army expeditionary force relieved part of the Marines in Cuba and Barnett returned to Washington early in November 1906.

Upon completing his tour of duty in the Far East he returned to the United States during the summer of 1910 and assumed command of the Marine Barracks, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The first important military event of his administration as Commandant was the sending of a reinforced brigade of Marines to take part in the operations which occurred at Vera Cruz, Mexico, during 1914.

A minor intervention in Haiti was made during that year and an expeditionary force of Marines was kept afloat for some time along the west coast of Mexico.

The citation for the medal reads: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Major General George Barnett, United States Marine Corps, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Commandant of the Marine Corps from 25 February 1914 to 30 June 1920, in the administration of his high office and the organization and direction of the manifold and distinguished service of the Marine Corps at home and abroad.

[3]Barnett was relieved as Commandant of the Marine Corps on 30 June 1920, by order of Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and resumed his permanent rank as Brigadier General.