Johnson, the part-time police chief in Worthington, is a former Marine and securities forces manager for the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield.
View full sizeAir National Guard Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey C. Johnson, of Worthington, was awarded the Bronze Star for "distinguished and meritorious achievement as security forces manager." during service in Iraq.WESTFIELD – Combat duty is nothing new for Air National Guard Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey C. Johnson, but a Bronze Star for his most recent service makes him “uncomfortable.”
The former Marine and securities forces manager for the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport here saw combat in Vietnam, in the early 1970s, and twice in Iraq in 2008 and 2010.
“All the new attention makes me feel a bit uncomfortable,” the 59-year-old veteran said recently. His Bronze Star was presented in ceremonies on June 5 at the Air Guard base.
“I was surprised,” said Johnson, who is also the part-time police chief in Worthington, where he and his family live. “It is humbling, an honor to have someone believe in you that strongly.”
“I led some of the finest airmen I ever met,” he said of his security unit during his most recent Iraq duty tour from last July through December.
Johnson was the only National Guard member in the 650-person unit of regular Air Force and Iraqi military, while stationed at Balad, the Iraq Air Force base.
Their responsibility was to conduct patrols and investigations and to interact with Iraqi civilians. Their patrol zone measured some 60,000 acres, and they worked six days of 12 to 14 hour shifts. It was slightly different than his first Iraq assignment in 2008. The, he spent seven months assisting in internal security at Baghdad International Airport.
Johnson was awarded the Bronze Star for “distinguished and meritorious achievement as security forces manager.” As a leader, he oversaw more than 280 combat patrols and personally led 40 counter-indirect fire missions and responded to 40 direct fire attacks, resulting in the capture of 12 “high-value” individuals. He also led the last combat patrol for Operation Iraqi Freedom, secured a residence that sheltered six suspected insurgents and worked with the Iraqi Army senior enlisted leaders to establish the first joint United States Air Force and Iraqi Army entry point at Base Balad.
Also, under his leadership, security forces searched more than 300,000 personnel and 80,000 vehicles without incident, the citation states.
“The fun part of being there was being in the community and building a friendship with the Iraqi people,” Johnson said. “The civilian population there in general is supportive of us being there,” he added.
But, during most of his last Iraq tour, there were “continuous mortar attacks on the base and in one situation I guess we were in the ‘right place and the right time,’” Johnson said. “That was one mission where, had we been 30 minutes earlier, we could have been hit by an improvised explosive device.”
Johnson and his wife Kathleen have daughters Jennifer, 18, and Jaycie, 15.
He said his second Iraq tour was more difficult on his family than his first.
“During the first tour, they were in school and had school and other routines and they were younger. The second tour, Jennifer and Jaycie were older, more aware of news accounts of the mission and I left in the summer time when school was out,” he explained.
He kept in constant communication with wife and daughters through email and Sunday telephone calls.
Johnson will celebrate his 60th birthday in January and with that, will retire from the Air National Guard.
“It will take a long time for me to drive by the base here and not want to stop. But, I will have hobbies and will look for other employment,” he said, noting the family has four horses and five German shepherd dogs.
“I would go back tomorrow,” he said concerning Iraq. “But, I must retire at age 60.”