Deployed officer thankful for father’s support

  • Published
  • By Maj. Dani Johnson
  • Coalition Joint Task Force 7 Public Affairs
CAMP DOHA, Kuwait --  When his little girl was born more than 30 years ago in a small Nebraska town, he never imagined that one day she would be a major in the Air Force, serving during such a time of turmoil.

She is and she is I. As I work here on this Father’s Day, so far away from home and all that is familiar, I realize how much my parents gave to me so that I could serve my country. I have often told my mother what her support means, but I don’t believe I have ever told my dad.

I know he had a lot of trepidation when I decided, in high school, that I wanted to be in the military. He was and still is wise and never said anything to me. If he had, I don’t think I would be here today because his opinion meant so much to me.

He was nervous because when he served in the Army in the 1960s the military was very different, especially for women. Now that I've served for 11 years, I am confident that he is fully supportive. But it had to be very hard for him to change his perspective.

Now his daughter is at war. I remember calling home on April 23, the night before I headed to Baghdad. My mother in her way told me she knew I would be going there. My dad couldn’t keep the nerves from his voice as he asked, “How long?” I know he hoped that I would just be going up there and not staying over night.

I’m his little girl. The one he taught to ride a horse almost before she could walk. What he may not know is what else he taught me. He taught me to be independent, to look at people as equals, and to persist until the job was done, no matter what the obstacles.

I remember when I was in grade school, I was in the barns as soon as the school bus dropped my little sister and me off. I would meet up with my father and we would take off walking across the corrals to check on the cattle or horses. He would never adjust his stride but expect me to keep up. He never made me feel that I was little or weaker. Instead, he made me feel I was a valued part of the ranch. That feeling of belonging followed me into the Air Force.

He was always watching out but would give me the chance to work the problem through. Once, years ago, my sister and started a fire in the yard while burning the trash and messing around. He stood inside the door of the house watching how we would handle it. We got the fire out before it spread anywhere, but those things gave my sister and me confidence in our abilities and decision making. And later, his trust helped me to decide to enter a career that is “nontraditional” for women where I grew up.

Something else he doesn’t know is how proud I am that he also served in the military from 1966-1968 in Korea during another time of turmoil. I remember looking at his military photo and thinking how handsome he was in his uniform. I feel closer to him now that I have experienced this war -- so different in many ways but the same in many others.

He instilled in me patriotism and dedication to serve others before myself. I have taken the lessons he unknowingly taught me and put them to use each and every day. For that I will always be thankful.

This Father’s Day, I remember those things about my dad. I’m sure many others have the same thoughts as we recognize those men who were so instrumental in developing our lives and allowing us to be the men and women that we are, serving our great country.