Just for Starters: Angela Johnson

Soldier Blog Post

Just for Starters

June 17, 2009

Tags:

active-duty army-decision life marines Basic Training ft-belvoir signal

It is sometimes hard to believe that this is actually my life. I am a commander of troops. Wow. Over the last year my focus has been generating a brand new Network Support Company (Go Cougs!) while simultaneously getting them ready for war. It is my job, in conjunction with my awesome First Sergeant, to ensure they have the technical training they need to accomplish our mission and the tactical training they need to bring them home safely from Iraq. It is an awesome responsibility and a far cry from ruffian I once was.

This blog will be about my experience getting my company ready for deployment and our adventures there, but first a very brief bio.

My mother is a Swede whose father owned a farm smack dab in the middle of the White Earth Reservation in Northern Minnesota. My biological father was a Soldier and gave me my Korean heritage but it was my step-father, a Native American from White Earth, who raised me as his daughter, along with two brothers and four sisters. We grew up with polkas and pow-wows. Those two combined cultures gave us the ability to find joy and amusement in just about any situation and taught me a respect and love for simple things. These traits have served me well in my 15 years in the Army.

I didn’t grow up on the rez, rather on the fringes of it. Yet, during the early years my family depended on the rez resources to get along. Every time I stand in line at the DFAC it reminds me of standing in line at a decrepit warehouse waiting for our share of the commodities. I hated it then, but it makes me smile now, knowing how far my family has come and knowing that it was that strength that pushed me to be the Soldier I am today.

My mom always pushed me to become educated. I was lucky enough to attend a fairly progressive school and have been playing with computers since I was five. During high school I was given free reign by a great teacher to “play” with them all I wanted, as long as I could fix what I broke. I was teased often for being a geek but now the Army pays me to be a geek and has given me an entire company of like-minded people to serve beside. Talk about the circle of life.

My Army timeline is:
March 1994 – Enlisted in the MN ARNG as a 31F
-Basic training at Fort Jackson, SC
Sep 1996-May 2000 – MN ARNG and Moorhead State University
May 2000 – Commissioned on Active Duty
2001-2002 – XO in Korea
2002-2005- XO, Space Ops Officer
- deployed to Kuwait ISO First Marine Expeditionary Force
2005- present – Fort Lewis
BDE S1, MI BN S6, MI BDE S6, NSC Commander
-deployed to Iraq, getting ready to go again

It has been a long journey (15 years) but I’ve finally landed the best job in the Army. As a commander your only job is to make the people around you great. Sure, a lot of late nights and headaches (not to mention extremely long meetings) go into it, but overall it’s pretty awesome. Welcome to my journey as a commander of troops preparing for combat.

Change of Command
July 1, 2009

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Tiffany
Jun 17, 2009 6:30 PM

Your story really inspired me. I'm still enlisted but one day hope to become an Officier. Just gotta get some steps outta the way. Do you think as a Woman we have to push harder to separate ourselves? Sometimes I feel like people still do not see us as being equal, being a Soldier.

Reply
Angela
Jun 25, 2009 4:35 PM

Tiffany - I'm glad that my story inspired you. The Army, overall, is one of the best employers in the world at achieving parity within its ranks. By that I mean, we're a pretty accurate reflection of society and we all get paid according to our grade and that is not affected by our race, creed or sex. (*This is the simplistic overview, there are many counter-arguments based on which individuals of which population are what grade that argues against true parity- but that is a whole other blog entry) As a female, I have the same opportunities to advance as my male counterparts. In that sense, we are equal.

However, and there is always a however, the reality is that yes, we do have to overcome a lot of stereotypes in order to be successful. Leadership attributes that are seen as signs of strength in men are often viewed as negatives in women. Who hasn't heard an aggressive, forceful female referred to as the big, bad "B-word?" We, generally, can't run as fast or do as many push-ups and some people see this as a liability. When I score a 296 on my PT test some people see it as a mark of my dedication (or sheer stubbornness :-) ) but others will see it a flaw in the system that allows females to achieve higher scores on a lower scale. Our eyes tear up when we're angry so it looks like we're cry babies. This is just an annoying physiological (and extremely difficult to control) response. WE know it just means we're angry and frustrated, males (generally) don't know what it means and instead assume it's a sign of emotional weakness. There's nothing wrong with our emotions, just our darn tear-ducts!

So how do we overcome those perceptions? Always, conduct yourself in a professional manner. Know what you're talking about before you talk about it. Practice briefs before you give them and learn to speak slowly and from your gut. Don't worry about being nice. This doesn't mean go mow everyone down, but if you worry about hurting people's feelings too much, you're probably not fully developing them. Grow a thick skin; you'll also be "professionally developed." And last, but not least, whenever you go to a new duty position ask yourself, "how do I want them to remember me?" then spend the next year becoming that Soldier.

Being female has rarely been a liability for career advancement. It, honestly, often works to my advantage. We're good multi-taskers, good listeners and good at finding out what makes individuals tick. We put up with some crap but in the end, it is well worth it. The job satisfaction that you can get and the camaraderie you develop with your peers makes it all worth it. Best of luck to you and hope this helps at least a little.

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Profile

Angela Johnson

Affiliation:	Active Duty
Rank:	Captain
Branch:	Signal Corps
MOS/AOC:	25A3Y
Location:	Fort Lewis, WA
Hometown:	Detroit Lakes

About Me: My name is CPT Angela Johnson. I currently have the best job in the Army as the 63d Network Support Company Commander. Go Cougars! I enlisted in 1994 as a 31F, Switch Operator, in C Co, 134th Signal Battalion out of Moorhead, MN. I was only 17 years old and had no idea what was in store for me but knew I wanted more than just small town life, not that there's anything wrong with that! It's been an awesome journey. From living on the fringes of a Northern Minnesota reservation to pulling a sled up snowy Nowegian mountains and convoys in the blazing heat of Iraq, it is sometimes hard to believe that this is really my life and I get paid for it. My commission was through North Dakota State University in 2000. Although I sometimes miss being an enlisted SME, I've had a pretty amazing journey as an officer and don't regret my decision to leave the National Guard to become an Active Duty officer.

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Tiffany

Jun 17, 2009 6:30 PM

Your story really inspired me. I'm still enlisted but one day hope to become an Officier. Just gotta get some steps outta the way. Do you think as a Woman we have to push harder to separate ourselves? Sometimes I feel like people still do not see us as being equal, being a Soldier.

Angela

Jun 25, 2009 4:35 PM

Tiffany - I'm glad that my story inspired you. The Army, overall, is one of the best employers in the world at achieving parity within its ranks. By that I mean, we're a pretty accurate reflection of society and we all get paid according to our grade and that is not affected by our race, creed or sex. (*This is the simplistic overview, there are many counter-arguments based on which individuals of which population are what grade that argues against true parity- but that is a whole other blog entry) As a female, I have the same opportunities to advance as my male counterparts. In that sense, we are equal.

However, and there is always a however, the reality is that yes, we do have to overcome a lot of stereotypes in order to be successful. Leadership attributes that are seen as signs of strength in men are often viewed as negatives in women. Who hasn't heard an aggressive, forceful female referred to as the big, bad "B-word?" We, generally, can't run as fast or do as many push-ups and some people see this as a liability. When I score a 296 on my PT test some people see it as a mark of my dedication (or sheer stubbornness :-) ) but others will see it a flaw in the system that allows females to achieve higher scores on a lower scale. Our eyes tear up when we're angry so it looks like we're cry babies. This is just an annoying physiological (and extremely difficult to control) response. WE know it just means we're angry and frustrated, males (generally) don't know what it means and instead assume it's a sign of emotional weakness. There's nothing wrong with our emotions, just our darn tear-ducts!

So how do we overcome those perceptions? Always, conduct yourself in a professional manner. Know what you're talking about before you talk about it. Practice briefs before you give them and learn to speak slowly and from your gut. Don't worry about being nice. This doesn't mean go mow everyone down, but if you worry about hurting people's feelings too much, you're probably not fully developing them. Grow a thick skin; you'll also be "professionally developed." And last, but not least, whenever you go to a new duty position ask yourself, "how do I want them to remember me?" then spend the next year becoming that Soldier.

Being female has rarely been a liability for career advancement. It, honestly, often works to my advantage. We're good multi-taskers, good listeners and good at finding out what makes individuals tick. We put up with some crap but in the end, it is well worth it. The job satisfaction that you can get and the camaraderie you develop with your peers makes it all worth it. Best of luck to you and hope this helps at least a little.

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