John F.C. Johnson Visits With Alaska Military Leaders – American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Donald Hudson | U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. David Nahom, commander, Alaskan NORAD Region, Alaskan Command, and Eleventh Air Force, and John F.C. Johnson, Sugpiag Alaska Native and Cultural Resources vice president for Chugach Alaska Corporation, pose for a photo at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, on Dec. 1, 2023. Johnson was invited as a guest speaker for American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month to provide a more in-depth understanding to the command staff on Alaska Native heritage and culture. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Don Hudson)  

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, UNITED STATES

12.06.2023

Story by Tech. Sgt. Donald Hudson  

Alaskan NORAD Region/Alaskan Command/11th Air Force

Mr. John F.C. Johnson, Sugpiag Alaska Native and Cultural Resources vice president for Chugach Alaska Corporation, spoke to the command staff of Alaskan NORAD Region, Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Dec. 1, 2023.

Johnson was invited as a guest speaker for American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month to provide a more in-depth understanding to the command staff on Alaska Native heritage and culture.

“We are delighted to host our esteemed guest speaker who will offer his insight on Alaska Native Cultures – how these vibrant, living cultures continue to evolve and thrive,” said U.S. Army Col. Russ Vanderlugt, Alaskan Command Plans, Policy, and Programs director.

Tracing his lineage back to the last chief of Nuchek, Johnson presented an overview of his people’s history from before first contact with British, Spanish, and Russian sailors, through his father’s volunteer service during WWII with the U.S. Army, up to the present with the formation of the Nuuciq Spirit Camp.

As the primary leaders responsible for establishing the Nuuciq Spirit Camp, his life work has involved making it a place for people to continue to practice, teach, and learn their cultural traditions.

For over forty years, Johnson has worked to ensure cultural preservation, documentation, and propagation across the Chugach Region helping to reclaim historical sites and artifacts. He traveled to museums across the world to evaluate collections of artifacts, securing the return of funerary objects and Native remains appropriated during the colonial era.

Johnson’s visit highlighted the importance of maintaining a close relationship with Alaska Native people and communities who possess unique knowledge about the Alaska and Arctic region, and the need to engage closely with local communities to better enable knowledgeable development of Alaska-based forces capable of defending America’s High North.

Incorporating this knowledge and expertise in military operations is essential in ensuring resilience and adaptability to Alaska’s challenging environment. It is through positive relationships like those shared with Johnson that the military is better equipped to defend the North American Homeland.

• Date Taken: 12.06.2023
• Date Posted: 12.06.2023 14:47
• Story ID: 459269
• Location: JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US