Professional Soldiers ® - SFC Allen C. Johnson

PRESS RELEASE: Special Forces medic dies in Afghanistan

Quote:

RELEASE NUMBER: 050427-02
DATE POSTED: APRIL 28, 2005

U.S. Army Special Operations Command Public Affairs Office

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (USASOC News Service, April 28, 2005) - A Special Forces
Soldier based here died April 26 in Khanaqin, Afghanistan, when his unit was
attacked by enemy small arms fire during a combat foot patrol.

Sgt. 1st Class Allen C. Johnson, 31, a Special Forces medical sergeant
assigned to1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) here, was
fatally wounded during the attack and was later pronounced dead after being
medevaced from the scene.

The 7th SFG is currently deployed with Combined Joint Special Operations
Task Force-Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A native of Los Molinos, Calif., Johnson entered the Army in October 1991
as an infantryman. After completing infantry and airborne training at Fort
Benning, Ga., in February 1992, he was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 75th
Ranger Regiment at Fort Lewis, Wash.

In 1994, he was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Polk,
La., and also later served with 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment
there.

After changing his military occupational specialty from infantryman to
corrections specialist in 1996, Johnson was assigned as a corrections team
leader to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

After being reassigned in 1998 for two years with the 704th Military Police
Battalion at Fort Lewis as a squad leader, he was accepted into Special
Forces training at Fort Bragg.

Johnson arrived at the 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) in
April 2000 to begin the more than two years of intense training it would
take for him to become a Special Forces medical sergeant.

He was assigned to the 7th SFG in July 2002.

Johnson's military education includes the Basic Airborne Course, the Primary
Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, the
Special Forces Qualification Course and the Survival, Evasion, Resistance
and Escape Course.

His awards and decorations include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the
Army Achievement Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service
Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on
Terrorism Service Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional
Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Parachutist Badge, the
Expert Infantryman Badge and the Special Forces Tab.

He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal, the
Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Combat Medical Badge.

Johnson is survived by his wife, Eunice, and three children.

-usasoc-