Photo By 1st Lt. Charles Morgan | U.S. Army Pfc. Michael J. Johnson poses for a photo in Kunduz province, Afghanistan...... read more read more
By 1st Lt. Philip Back
Apache Troop, 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment
KUNDUZ PROVINCE, Afghanistan - When Pfc. Michael J. Johnson pauses to take in the Afghan landscape, he can’t help but be a little surprised at where he has ended up.
The second youngest of five children, Pfc. Johnson was raised by his aunt in the city of Gary, Ind. He was an avid student and spent most of his free time participating in community-oriented activities like singing in his high school choir and counseling at a local camp. After having maintained all A’s and B’s through school, college seemed like the natural next step for him.
However, as he began to take a serious look at his options, Johnson decided to take the road less traveled.
In 2011 he turned down Ohio State University, where he had been accepted, and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a 25Q, a multi-channel transmission systems operator/maintainer.
Johnson said that he wanted to continue to better himself after he graduated high school, and that college didn’t feel right at the time. He cites his desire for real-world experience and his love for computers as having contributed to his decision.
“I wanted work experience in computers, and I figured that college wasn’t the best way for me to get that… the Army was,” said Johnson.
Entering Army life proved to be a drastic change for him, but he says that in retrospect it was all for the best. He completed basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and subsequently attended Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon, Ga.
According to Johnson, the most difficult part of training was not the intimidating infantry drill sergeants; it was the lack of control over his schedule and not knowing what the future held in store for him. However, he says that he eventually became accustomed to dealing with uncertainty, and appreciates the adaptations that he had to make, both mentally and physically.
“I’m more business-oriented, and I take situations more seriously; I try to break them down and figure out solutions,” said Johnson. “Now I also run much faster and can do more things, physically, than I could in high school.”
After completing AIT, Johnson reported to 6th Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, and soon found himself attached to Apache Troop at the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La.
During his time at JRTC, Johnson was responsible for maintaining his troop’s communications systems, and says that his experience there provided a solid foundation for the work that he does now.
“JRTC was just like this; it really did help prepare me for Afghanistan,” he said.
Johnson is currently deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XIII and plays a critical role in Apache Troop by running its satellite communications systems.
He attributes his current level of expertise to his recent experience with maintaining satellite communications during the closure of Combat Outpost Shir Khan.
“I feel like I’ve gotten much more efficient with the SNAP [satellite telecommunications terminal] system to where I can set it up to support a whole COP, and being able to maintain it while breaking down a COP was a big accomplishment for me.”
Johnson’s supervisor, Sgt. Buddy Nasset, also commends Johnson’s performance during the last several months: “Johnson has stepped in from a 25Q role to a 25B slot [information technology specialist], and has excelled at this position.”
Overall, Johnson says that he is very pleased with where the Army has taken him in his life.
Although this deployment has taken him far from his roots, he often relies on Apache Troop’s camaraderie to get him through his day.
His troop is “very family-oriented, especially Sgt. Nasset. He tries to help me improve as a commo specialist, and is always teaching me things about the radio side of the house.”
Johnson is grateful for the broader perspective that his first deployment has given him.
“I appreciate being over here in Afghanistan. I appreciate things, especially my family and friends more because I know that at any time it could be taken away - me or them,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 07.10.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 07.10.2013 00:25 |
| Story ID: | 109926 |
| Location: | KUNDUZ, AF |
| Hometown: | FORT KNOX, KY, US |
| Hometown: | GARY, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 461 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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