MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – In many communities, it is common to find someone dedicated to their occupation or passionate about helping the youth follow their dreams. For one man aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, it's both. Jerron “JJ” Johnson is the airfield manager at MCAS Iwakuni, but outside of work, he volunteers as the track and field director, planning out and working with Matthew C. Perry High School and Iwakuni Middle School track teams in both their on and off seasons.
By day, Johnson serves as an airfield manager, overseeing operations where timing and coordination are critical. As a retired Air Force veteran, he spent 20 years developing the skills required to operate in high-pressure environments. Now, more than four years into his civilian role, those same standards continue to define his work. But once the workday ends, Johnson’s responsibilities shift from managing flight operations to being a coach, mentor, and motivator for dozens of student-athletes.
Johnson currently works with both football and track and field programs, helping guide a team that has rapidly grown in size and ambition. However, he didn’t immediately step into coaching after arriving at MCAS Iwakuni. Instead, he took time to understand the demands of his new position and one day after understanding the workload, his curiosity got the best of him.
“I just happened to drive by the field one day and saw some kids running around the track,” he said. “I went over, met the head coach, and he brought me on board.”
Coaching, however, was nothing new to Johnson. His experience dates back to 2007, when he began working with student athletes while still serving in the Air Force. Over the years, he coached at multiple duty stations, including Travis Air Force Base, California; Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; and McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, where he impacted hundreds of athletes along the way. At one point, he helped lead nearly 300 students in a township track program and guided 28 athletes to the Junior Olympics, where all of them placed.
“That was an eye-opener for me,” Johnson said. “All the hard work and everything we put into those athletes paid off.”
Today, those results he witnessed fuels his approach. Balancing airfield operations with coaching is no small task, but Johnson brings the same principles to both environments: structure, accountability, and consistency.
“I feel like it's a role only he can fill,” said Cpl. Bernard Williams Jr., an air traffic controller and a youth track and field coach, “Even if he's coaching, he's still on the sideline answering calls and continuing operations on the flightline.”
Cpl. Williams Jr. looks up to Johnson as both a mentor and an example of the kind of leader he hopes to become.
“His work-life balance is admirable. All the work he has to do, and yet he still takes the time to volunteer and help out with coaching the kids, it’s incredible,” he said.
As someone close to Johnson, both on and off work, they often find they have similar viewpoints and values in their lives. One similarity in particular is their preference for coachable athletes. They both feel it enables them to do their job more efficiently, allowing the coaches to help athletes reach their full potential.
“Having coachable athletes is definitely preferable,” he said. “You can have natural talent, but you still need to be able to coach that athlete to their max potential. If you’re coachable, you can survive long term, not just in track, but in life. Everything we teach here carries over from football, basketball, volleyball, and even the military.”
As Johnson said, coaching isn’t just about winning meets, it’s about building futures. He works closely with athletes to help them reach the next level, including those with aspirations to compete in college.
“I’m not even worried about championships right now,” he said. “I’m trying to get them to college at an elite institution. If they do exactly what we tell them, they’ll get there.”
His own journey reflects that mindset.
Growing up in Tyler, Texas, Johnson competed in both football and track. After high school, he narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic trials in the 200 meters, falling short by just two-hundredths of a second after slipping out of the blocks.
“I needed a 20.85, and I ran a 20.87,” he said. “After that, I had to decide what I was going to do next.”
That decision led him to serving his country, where he built a 20-year career, rooted in discipline and perseverance. The same values he now passes on to the next generation.
“My dad taught me to take what you want, don’t expect it to be given to you,” Johnson said. “That’s the mindset I’ve always had.”
Now, whether he’s managing the airfield or preparing athletes for competition, that same belief continues to guide his work.
As the track season progresses, Johnson and his athletes are chasing a milestone: the program’s first 4A championship banner. Despite the growing expectations surrounding the team, Johnson believes the impact of coaching reaches beyond any single meet.
“If anybody has told you that you can’t do something, and you believe you can,” he said, “then prove them wrong. Your future is in your hands, but you have to believe in yourself.”
Whether on the runway, on the track, or in every community he serves, he carries the same unwavering mentality: lead with purpose, push beyond limits, and leave every place better than he found it.
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