MEMORANDUM FOR National Executive Director, U.S. Cavalry and Armor Association
THRU COMMANDER 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 82ND CAB, Fort Bragg, NC 28310
SUBJECT: Nomination for the Order of Saint George Bronze Medallion to SFC Shawndell J. Johnson
1. The purpose of this memorandum is to nominate Sergeant First Class Shawndell J. Johnson for award of the Order of Saint George Bronze Medallion.
2. SFC Shawndell Johnson is nominated for the award of the Bronze Medallion because of his demonstrated tactical and technical competence as a Cavalry Troop Platoon Sergeant and for his contributions to the Mounted Force.
3. SFC Johnson was assigned to Delta Troop, 1-17 Cavalry Regiment, 82ND Combat Aviation Brigade on 01 September, 2017. He was immediately selected by the Command Sergeant Major to serve as the Component Repair Platoon Sergeant. His first priority was to train his platoon to be ready to quickly deploy in support of the 82ND Airborne Division's Immediate Response Force.
4. SFC Johnson fully embraced the Cavalry traditions and completed his Spur ride in December 2017. Shortly after, 1-17 Cavalry Regiment began the transition from the Kiowa Warrior to the AH-64D Apache and buildup of the Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron. During the buildup, SFC Johnson kept the Cavalry Tradition alive by planning, coordinating, and participating in Stetson break ins and Spur rides for new Cavalry Leaders.
5. On approximately 04 January 2020, the 1-17 Cavalry Regiment was alerted to deploy to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait. SFC Johnson and the 43 Cavalry Troopers of the CRP Platoon packed, prepared, inspected and deployed 35 containers to support the entire Multi-Functional Aviation Task Force, all while meeting the 82ND's worldwide deployment timeline of 72 hours! Once on the ground in Kuwait, SFC Johnson established work/rest cycles for his platoon to enable the seamless conduct of 24 hour operations, maintenance support packages, and the 15Y (AH-64 Armament Technicians) and SHOP support of the Downed Aircraft Recovery Team to encompass the entirety of the Squadron's mission. SFC Johnson facilitated every minor change to the Squadron's forward posture by maintaining a flexible state of readiness of the Repair Platoon in order to meet any and every mission requirement.
6. While supporting the MEDEVAC, Saudi Express, and all other air movement missions of the Task Force, SFC Johnson was asked to divide his forces even further in order to send the appropriate maintenance package to the Navy's USS Lewis B. Puller. His mission was to aid in the projection of lethal AH-64E combat power as far forward as possible in the North Arabian Gulf to deter Iranian aggression. On 15 APR 2020, a fleet of Armed Iranian fast craft boats approached and harassed the U.S. Navy Fleet by speeding toward the ships and getting dangerously close to the stern and bows of the USS Lewis B. Puller and the Guided Missile Destroyer Paul Hamilton. The fleet of 1-17 Cavalry AH-64Es, maintained by several of SFC Johnsons CRP Cavalry Troopers and flown by the best Army Apache pilots in the world, successfully deterred further aggression by the 11 armed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy vessels.
7. SFC Shawndell J. Johnson is the absolute epitome of what a Cavalry and Armor leader should be. He is decisive and tactically and technically competent, and I recommend him for award of the Order of Saint George Bronze Medallion.
8. The point of contact for this memorandum is the undersigned at 910-987-9243, or Jason.l.glenn.mil@mail.mil.
JASON L. GLENN
1SG, USA
First Sergeant
