Wendell Johnson, a native of White Oak, will retireafter 28 years of service and dedication to the Army.
Johnson is a chief warrant officer 5 at Fort Bragg.
As a young child, Johnson wanted to be many things ranging from a doctor or professional athlete to owning a business. According to Johnson, he did not quite make it to be a professional athlete, but in his profession, he was able and absolutely honored to assist physicians and nurses in doing their job by ensuring they have the right medical devices and medical device systems at the right time to do their job in providing the best patient care to soldiers and civilians.
Johnson graduated from N.C. A&T. He had student loans that he needed to pay, and joining the Army provided him that opportunity. After signing a six-year contract, the Army paid off all his student loans and at the same time taught him a valuable skill that he can use outside the military in biomedical equipment repair.
During Johnson’s time at A&T, he majored in industrial technology with a concentration in electronics because of the curriculum and training it provided.
“It enabled me to learn drafting, project management and electronic theory to name a few,” Johnson wrote in an email. “And as you may know, project management is a sought-after skill in the industry today.”
Johnson said he and the woman he would marry, Gwent, were students at Bladen Lakes Elementary School. He went on to the old Tar Heel High, and Gwen to the old East Bladen on U.S. 701. But they later reconnected.
“After college and living our lives, we met again through my brother and her sister,” Johnson wrote. “The rest is history. I am so blessed to have her in my life.”
They celebrated 26 years together on June 24.
Johnson considers his greatest accomplishment is giving his life to Christ. It proved to be an outlet to discuss whatever without any repercussions, according to Johnson.
“I could not have written a better script for the life Christ has given me,” Johnson wrote in his email. “Especially my family. My wife Gwen and my two wonderful children, Bryan and Savana.”
His favorite hobbies are golf, motorcycle riding and basketball.
According to Johnson, his main duty was to be able to assist the Army in fighting and winning the nation’s wars.
“As an enlisted soldier, my duty as a biomedical equipment repairman was to ensure that medical devices were always in a high state of readiness and safe for patient use,” Johnson wrote. “Training other soldiers was one of the most rewarding duties. It is a great feeling to see soldiers accomplish their goals due to the training and support noncommissioned officers provide daily.”
After eight years as a soldier, Johnson became a warrant officer. The warrant officer is the technical expert in a specific field. For Johnson, he became a technical expert in the field of healthcare technology management. Those duties consisted in ensuring health-care facilities, whether in a deployed environment or at home station, had the latest technology in the Army.
Johnson stated that no one ever knows who is watching them.
“You carry yourself in a way that onlookers wonder what you do for a living,” Johnson wrote. “Once they find out that you are a soldier, the respect level tends to go up for our Armed Forces. I always act in a way that will bring credit to the Army. Not that I am perfect but I try to show dignity and respect in and out of uniform.”
Personally, Johnson thinks it should be a requirement for everyone’s youth to join the Armed Forces after high school, at least for two years.
“It provides you with an income as you try to figure out what you want to do with your life and teach you a trade for those that do not plan on attending college,” Johnson wrote. “You will also get the chance to be a part of something greater than ourselves. Most importantly, it is caring for your country and your fellow man regardless of race, creed, or national origin.”
He decided to retire because the timing was right. He says it has provided a good life for him and his family.
“We gave it a great run of 28 years,” Johnson said.