Sgt Tommy Johnson

Marine Corps | Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Dates of Service: Jan 1973 - May 1981

VETERAN

60% Complete

9 Endorsements

13 Contacts

Influence Score: 6,290
8,335 out of 865,948 Veterans

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Jan 73
Apr 73
Oct 73
Jul 74
Sep 75

Recent Activity -

Bio

0311 Rifleman; 8654 Reconnaissance Man; Northern Training Area Instructor - Okinawa; 8511 Drill Instructor; 0211 Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence (CI/HUMINT) Specialist; 2336 Explosive Ordnance Disposal with last active duty assignment at EOD Team - MCAS El Toro, CA /// spent several years as a DOD civilian employee /// currently working as a Finance Director, for a privately-held company During the last decade, I have worked as a Business Consultant, General Sales Manager, and Finance Director / I'm my own toughest critic. I continually strive for excellence. In spite of a wealth of reasons to spend eons in Purgatory [in Roman Catholic doctrine, a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins - having the quality of cleansing], I will attain Heaven, because I'm my daughter's Dad! ;-)

Military Experiences

Feb 1980 - May 1981

EOD Team Member

Station EOD Team | MCAS El Toro, CA

I participated in extensive field training and range clearance operations at: MCB Camp Pendleton, CA and NWAS China Lake, CA and San Clemente Island, CA and MCB Twenty-nine Palms, CA and MCAS Yuma, AZ

Jun 1979 - Feb 1980

EOD Trainee

Joint Services Explosive Ordnance School | NOS Indian Head, MD

Phase 1 at Redstone Arsenal, AL - Hazards, Safety Precautions, and Render Safe Procedures for Chemical & Biological Ordnance // Phase 2 at Indian Head, MD - Mines & Booby Traps; Artillery Projectiles; Rockets & Missiles; Air Delivered Ordnance and all associated fuses and all associated hazards including components of Egress Systems, Ejector Racks, Missile Rail Launchers, Aircraft Pylons, Gun Systems, etc. // Phase 3 at Indian Head, MD - Nuclear Ordnance and Nuclear Weapon Delivery Systems (MIRV) multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle - a ballistic missile payload containing several warheads; and, (SLBM) submarine-launched ballistic missiles - which usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles with multiple warheads; and, INDs - Improvised Nuclear Devices.

Aug 1978 - Jun 1979

Small Unit Tactics & Patrolling Instructor

Infantry Training Company - 2nd MAR DIV | Camp Lejeune, NC

1 Endorsement

Developed training syllabus and wrote lesson plans for classroom and practical application instruction of small unit tactics and patrolling techniques, creating a second school for USMC Infantry Training at Camp Geiger, NC and taught classes and supervised practical application training evolutions. // Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Good Conduct Medal - 2nd Award // early reenlistment for two years, with guaranteed assignment to the Joint Services Explosive Ordnance Disposal School (NAVSCOLEOD) and subsequent guaranteed choice of duty station, at MCAS El Toro, CA

May 1978 - Aug 1978

Squad Leader

2nd Force Recon Co, 2nd MARDIV, FMF LANT | Camp Lejeune, NC

Favorite quotes: "Any officer can get by on his sergeants. To be a sergeant you have to know your stuff. I’d rather be an outstanding sergeant than just another officer." ~SgtMaj Daniel Daly 1873-1937 (QUALIFIER: I've been privileged to have served under several outstanding officers.) // "It doesn't matter what happens to you. In your entire f%c@i^g life, what happens to you will never f%c@i^g matter! The only thing that will ever f%c@i^g matter, is how you 'REACT' to whatever happens. That's because you've got NO CONTROL over whatever is going to happen to you, while, at the same time, you always have COMPLETE CONTROL over how you 'REACT' to what happens!"~the harsh credo of my father and my paternal grandfather

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Deployments

(3 months)

Apr 1975

Cambodia

12 APR 75 to 13 APR 75 Evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia // Navy & Marine Corps Unit Commendation Ribbon (NUC); Navy & Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon (MUC); Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM); Navy and Marine Corps Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (NSSDR); Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon (NOSSR)

Apr 1975 - May 1975

Vietnam War

29 APR 75 to 01 MAY 75 Evacuation of Saigon, RVN // Combat Action Ribbon (CAR); Navy and Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon (PUC); Navy & Marine Corps Unit Commendation Ribbon 2nd Award (NUC); Navy & Marine Corps Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon 2nd Award (MUC); Vietnam Service Medal (RVNSM); Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (RVNGC)