A Retired Marine continues to support Operations in Iraq in more ways than three

[darrels joy]

Submitted by: Marine Forces Pacific
Story by Sgt. Danielle M. Bacon

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii (Jan. 28, 2005) -- Pictures and plaques line the walls and coins blanket the window sill ? each is proof of a truly successful career, but this is not what makes one retiree proud.

Larry A. Johnson, who retired in February 2003 as a colonel after 29-years of active duty, views his sons? decision to serve their country as one of his biggest sources of pride.

Not only are they serving their country, but all three of Johnson?s sons are serving in Iraq.

The older two joined the Marine Corps as officers. The youngest, Adam, is a senior airman with the Air Force security forces ? similar to the Marine Corps? military police.

?With Adam?s personality, I told him he would be better served in the Air Force or Coast Guard,? said Johnson, a Maryland native. ?He is with the Air Force Expeditionary Wing, guarding prisoners and doing convoy security ? an interesting mission for the Air Force.?

Johnson?s oldest, Troy, is a first lieutenant who serves as the deputy camp commander for an Iraqi military tactical assembly area.

Chris, the middle child and also a first lieutenant, is the aide-de-camp to the deputy commander for I Marine Expeditionary Force.

?The interesting thing about this is that they were together for the first time in four years, in Iraq,? said Johnson.

They not only spent the Christmas holidays together in Baghdad, but were also able to speak to their parents during a live interview with CNN.

Johnson said, ?I got a call from a CNN anchor person who asked if I wanted to talk to my sons and said to turn on our TV at 6:30. The boys popped up on the screen at 6:30 on the dot. Then the anchorman from Atlanta asked (the boys) if there was anyone special that might be watching this show that (they) would like to say hello to.?

Unbeknownst to the boys, Johnson and his wife were on the phone waiting to talk them, while watching them on the news.

The question to the boys was supposed to be a lead into them saying hello to their mother and father, since none of them are married. Instead one wanted to say hello to his girlfriend.

?The anchorman said that?s okay. Is there anyone else?? said Johnson, who added that his sons still did not know he was on the line. ?So Adam says yes, I really miss my Siberian Husky.?

?The reporter said, ?that is so not the answer we wanted to here. Well, we have a couple of people in Hawaii ?? then you could see their faces light up,? said Johnson.

The Johnson family got to talk to each other for about three minute.

?It was the best Christmas present,? said Johnson, who understands what it is like to spend time away from home.

Chris explained that while growing up his father frequently served away from his family.

?Mom sometimes had to bear the brunt of raising three boys,? said Chris, whose mother, Louise, also served all of the services as a registered nurse. ?He and my mother are a team, and they worked hand in hand to balance our upbringing and turn us into the men we are.?

He added, ?The strength of my parents? marriage is the backbone of our family.?

The Johnson family comes from a long line of service members.

Johnson?s grandfather and father were both in the Navy. His father retired as a chief warrant officer after 30-years.

?Obviously, he would have preferred that I had become a naval officer, but I think he was every bit as proud that I joined the Marine Corps,? said Johnson, who didn?t push his sons to any type of uniform service, but rather to just serve their country in some way.

?I went to the Naval Academy because even as a boy my parents raised my brothers and I to respect and value our country, and to pursue some form of public service,? said Chris. ?Although he did not treat us like Marines, he raised us with the values that are innate in Marines: discipline, loyalty, honor, judgment, courtesy, pride, initiative, etc.?

These values and pride not only filtered down to, but have stayed with his sons.

Chris said, ?The day I graduated from the Naval Academy, May 25, 2001, my father commissioned me and my parents put my bars on. In a manner of speaking, the day he put my bars on was the day he passed on the ?family colors.? To me, that moment marked the change of command between my father and my brothers and I, the new generation of Marines ... oh, and the Airman.?