Caribou native Dana Johnson will be back in the County this week along with many other classmates who will be attending their 30th Caribou High School class reunion. Command Sgt. Maj. Johnson who retired on Jan.31, after serving a distinguished 29-year career in the U.S, Army, is looking forward to catching up on the latest news and whereabouts of his former classmates.
CSM Johnson born in 1962, the son of James and Lucille Johnson, he graduated from Caribou High School in 1980, immediately enlisting in the U.S. Army. He attended basic combat training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, followed by advanced individual training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, where he became a 96B intelligence analyst.
CSM Johnson’s first duty assignment was as an intelligence analyst with the 336th Army Security Agency Company, 319th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served in various positions from 1981 – 85.
From 1985 until 1993 CSM Johnson served in a variety of leadership positions within the Special Operations community including team sergeant, squad leader and platoon sergeant with the 6th Psychological Operations BN as well as with the G2, XVIII Airborne Corps, where he deployed in support of operations in El Salvador and Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
In 1994 CSM Johnson returned to the Special Operations community and served as the S2 for the 5th Special Operations Support Command at Fort McPherson, Georgia, before being transferred to Fort Bragg, N.C. where he served as a platoon sergeant and the S2, for the Special Operations Support Command.
In 2000 he was reassigned as the Brigade S2 non-commissioned officer in charge with ARCENT-Saudi Arabia stationed at Eskan Village in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 2001 CSM Johnson returned to the 319th Military Intelligence BN where he had begun his military career as a private and served as first sergeant for Headquarters Company and B Company.
Upon his promotion to Sgt. Maj. Johnson served as the analysis control element for XVIII Airborne Corps and the Coalition Analysis Control Element, SGM for the Multi-National Corps-Iraq. After returning from Iraq CSM Johnson was transferred to the U.S. Army Sergeant Majors Academy (Class 57) at Fort Bliss, Texas, as a student. Upon graduation he was assigned as the CSM for Task Force ODIN at Fort Hood, Texas, and deployed again to Operation Iraqi Freedom. After the last deployment CSM Johnson was assigned to the U.S. Southern Command in Miami, as the HQ, Commandant SGM.
The Caribou native’s military schooling included; BCT, Intelligence Analyst AIT, Psychological Operations Specialist AIT, Warrior Leader Course, Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Advanced Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Level II Certification Course, Instructor Training Course, Airborne School, and Jump Master School. CSM Johnson has held all NCO leadership positions from squad leader to command sergeant major and has served combat tours in Desert Shield/Desert Storm as well as four deployments in support of OIF/OEF.
During his distinguished military career CSM Johnson was the recipient of 52 medals, ribbons and badges which include: the Bronze Star (2 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (4 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (4 OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal (9th Award), National Defense Service Medal (1 BS), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1 BS), Southwest Asia Service Medal (3 BS), Iraq Campaign Medal (2 Award), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War of Terrorism Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (1 OLC), NCO Professional Develop Ribbon (Numeral 4), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (numeral 2), Kuwait Liberation Medal, Saudi Arabian Defense Medal, Aviation Crew Member Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, and the German Bronze Airborne Badge
Retired CSM Johnson currently resides in Miami. He is the father of two children — Daniel, 24, a corporal in the U.S. Army assigned to the Old Guard (3rd Infantry Regiment) at Ft Meyer, Virginia, and Diana, 21, who attends veterinary school and resides in Tennessee.
