Deployed servicemember returns home half the Airman he used to be

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss
  • 376th Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyz Republic (AFPN) --  "I knew I was unhealthy and had to make some changes, especially when I thought about my five-year-old looking up at me," said Senior Airman Jarvis Johnson. "Without changes, I wouldn't be around to see him and my daughters grow up."

When you ask someone what they can accomplish in six months -- just 24 short weeks -- they may say something like, "I plan to finish a couple college courses," or maybe, "I'm going to read a couple books," or "Tour a little."  

Many may say they are going to get in shape, but what do they mean when they say "get in shape?"  Six months is not enough time to get in shape if you're not, is it?

One Airman set out just 180 days ago to do just this, to get back into shape after years of inactivity.

Airman Johnson remembers the day he made up his mind to get fit.  Before heading to Manas, Airman Johnson attended a week long Combat Skill Training Course. During the course, he had tried to put on a flak vest.  At nearly 300 pounds, he knew he would need a large one but had no idea that the readiness squadron would not have anything that would fit.  After trying on the largest size available, a 3X, they simply gave up and let him go without, but this experience would stay fresh in Jarvis' mind.

Upon arrival at Manas, Airman Johnson decided this would be the last time he would wear a 44-inch pants with a waist circumference of 47. This also would be the last time his family and wife of 17 years would see him so badly overweight. 

During his first days at Manas, Airman Jarvis attended the Wing Right Start briefing and watched as 376th Expeditionary Wing Commander Col. Christopher Bence said "You can leave here how you like."  First he showed pictures of a person who arrived thin, ate too much and left extremely overweight. "Or," he said, "you can leave like this." He showed a picture of an Airman who came to Manas overweight and lost 75 pounds.

Although Airman Johnson was impressed by the slide, he already had made up his mind to lose weight. But now, he had a firm goal.

"I wanted to lose somewhere around 75 pounds, but I said to myself I can beat that," said the father of three. "I told Col. Bence right there; I said I am going to be the one you brief about in six months, the one who lost the weight."

With nothing but a determined heart and a quote from legendary coach Vince Lombardi to give him emotional strength, "the dictionary is the only place that success comes before work," the Airman, deployed from McChord Air Force Base, Wash, continued on the path to a healthy living again. 

"I used this quote on those days when I didn't feel like getting up and going to gym, when I was like 'damn I don't want to do this today,'" said Airman Johnson. 

He remembers it wasn't always like this, being overweight. A football linebacker, basketball and track star throughout high school, he was always athletic. When he enlisted in the military he was a tall 6'1 and 169 pounds. 

Then in 2004 he tore his Achilles tendon, an extremely painful injury which caused him to be unable to do any type of physical activity. Quickly he began to put on more and more weight, but due to fortunate timing, Air Force physical fitness monitors were conducting the cycle ergonometric test versus the mile and a half run that they currently employ.

"I am a steak and potatoes kind of guy," said Airman Johnson. "When the mile and a half run went away and the Air Force went to (cycle ergonometry) you didn't have to run so I didn't. I was passing the ergo test, but I knew that I could not have passed the run. I was easily packing in 5000 calories a day!"

In June, the 35-year old took to walking on the treadmill in the base gym, at first only 30 minutes a day. But he also cut out fried foods.  Eventually he moved to the elliptical machine. He has successfully changed what he eats and how he eats. He stopped eating fried foods all together, and began drinking water.

"I decided to try the five little meals versus one big meal a day," said Airman Johnson.

Now nearly six months later the man who just 180 days ago could not fit into the largest available flak vest is working-out sometimes three times a day. He has moved from using the elliptical machine 30 minutes a day to an hour at the highest level. He also is jumping rope for 20 minutes straight along with twice a week sprints on the basketball court. 

He has lost 125 pounds, is down to 165 pounds and has taking 14 inches off his waist. 

And as returning Airmen look forward to seeing their loved-ones' eyes when they get off that plane back home, Airman Johnson's wife, Jasa, has got something else to look forward to: a "small" surprise. 

Nearly letting the proverbial cat out of the bag in July, Airman Johnson sent home a picture of himself. His wife took notice and asked if he had been losing weight? To which he replied, "If anything I have been gaining." Immediately he sent her a photo he had taken earlier, and he has been doing the same the entire deployment.

Due to return home just in time to begin 2009, and nearly half the man he used to be, Airman Johnson is thankful for his new, healthy lifestyle.

"You can't imagine how good this feels," said Airman Johnson.

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