26th MEU Marine is presented leadership award while deployed

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

05.25.2020

Story by Cpl. Nathan Reyes 

26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)     

The Marines and Sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) continue to set the standard. While forward deployed in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations, Sgt. Timothy T. Johnson, a data Marine, was presented the 13th Annual Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Washington, D.C. Military Information Technology (IT) Leadership Award for significant contribution to the warfighter through the use of IT.
Johnson is one of ten service members from across all Department of Defense branches to be acknowledged for their superior effort by AFCEA, a non-profit professional association, which brings together military, industry and academia to advance knowledge in the fields of communications and IT.
He was nominated for the award after his ingenuity and leadership directly supported the success of a training mission prior to deployment. With the help of his Marines, Johnson created a data center in the back of a Humvee when the ashore detachment did not have the proper gear to establish a Combat Operations Center. The data center allowed forces to relay vital information to and from the ground element conducting the mission.
“Sgt. Johnson’s initiative and adaptive mindset allowed the ashore detachment to test and validate its network services without jeopardizing the mission,” said Gunnery Sgt. Bartolome Reyna, Joint Task Force Enabler’s (JTFE) data staff non-commissioned officer in charge. “This action is just one of the many examples in which Sgt. Johnson embodies a ‘can-do’ attitude and leadership traits for others to emulate.”
As an active-duty Marine with over a decade of experience, Johnson has continued his pursuit year after year of not only personal success but also the success of the Marines under his charge. Through mentorship and leading by example, he has crafted a communication section that is capable of accomplishing anything placed in its way.
“In a very short period of time he took a group of new data systems Marines and built a team that would support over 1,000 users spread across three Navy ships for the 26th MEU deployment,” said Reyna. “Within said team, he has taught and managed two Rapid Response Kit teams to support ship-to-shore movements, infantry tactical movements and medical evacuation movements.”
While deployed, Johnson also immersed himself into the air communications field by installing and configuring a data package called Network On The Move-Air in an MV-22B Osprey. This capability enabled the 26th MEU to use both secure and non-secure network and voice services while conducting air missions essential to the MEU.
“There is always something new we can learn as a team to help the success of our mission,” said Johnson. “I could not have won this award without the help of my Marines and the support of my command.”
Along with being recognized for his unmatched work ethic before and during deployment, Johnson was also selected to be promoted to the rank of staff sergeant. This promotion will give him the opportunity to train and lead even more Marines in the future.
“I am grateful for this award, and I am taking it in stride,” said Johnson. “It is motivating to be recognized for the work my team has put in this far, but it does not distract me from the fact that we still have work to do.”

• Date Taken: 05.25.2020
• Date Posted: 05.25.2020 12:20
• Story ID: 370723
• Location: U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY