CAPTAIN ALAN D. JOHNSTON

UNITED STATES ARMY

Field Artillery - Enlisted - 1978-1981

Field Artillery – Officer - 1981-1982

Combat Engineer - Officer 1982-1989

Commissioning Source – ROTC: Vermont Army National Guard

Simultaneous Membership Program Cadet - 1981

Norwich University ROTC Program 1981

Tour of Duty: December 7^TH, 1978 - July 1989

Captain Johnston was born in Greenville, Maine. He was a 1978 graduate of Greenville High School, where he lettered in three sports; Soccer, Basketball and Baseball.

He attended Norwich University, in Vermont from 1978 to 1982; graduating with a BS in Environmental Engineering. During that time, he was an enlisted member of the 1/86^th Field Artillery, Vermont Army National Guard where he received an officer’s commission in his junior year; branched Field Artillery. Upon graduation he was brought on Active Duty in the Engineer Branch (Combat Engineers)

He served at Fort Polk, Louisiana in the 5^TH Mechanized Infantry Division, 7^TH Engineers; while there, he served as a Platoon Leader and worked in the Post’s Environmental Office, overseeing environmental compliance. Then at Fort Belvior, Virginia, he served as school cadre training Second Lieutenants. In Germany he served as both a Battalion S4, and as an HHC Company Commander.

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS: Medal of Valor, Silver Medal for Valor, Defense Freedom Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, the Global War on Terror Medal and the Iraq Medal on Terror.

CIVILIAN DUTIES: Held positions in the Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Fields. He was the EHS manager for General Electric, Pioneer Plastics (PIONITE LAMINATE) and a consultant to many of the paper mills throughout the New England area.

In March of 2003 he was deployed to Iraq, and held various positions for major restoration projects and the protection of high value targets. He was site manager for the overall safety of 100 to 150 Bearing Point Staff who resided in the Al Hayat Hotel on Karada Avenue in downtown Bagdad, Iraq; comprised of various personnel with expertise in financial and economic recovery.

His staff was comprised of approximately 300 Kurds, 12 Gurkhas, 40-50 expatriates, and 20-25 local Iraqi drivers with GMC Suburbans. He was responsible to transport the Bearing Point personnel to and from the hotel to perform duties at the various ministries throughout the vicinity of Baghdad and ensuring their safety after working hours. During his time as site manager, no clients were injured.

Was the Site manager in Fallujah responsible for the site laydown facility and living area for the contraction of a high-tension power line from the Haditha Power Generation Dam down thru Al-Assad Airbase, through Fallujah to Baghdad. Responsible for the overall safety of US Army Corps of Engineers personnel, Civilian Contractors and 150-200 Turkish workers. The staff was comprised of 250-300 Kurds, half-dozen Gurkhas and 4-6 Expatriates. At the beginning of the project there were problems with the security with the power line in the evenings; local security personnel were hired and the issue was resolved.

Al Kisik Iraq Army Training Base Site Manager for the safety and project management for the construction of two, 1,100 square meter, medical clinics. The workers were comprised of Iraqi nationals with two Americans as well. This project was complex due to the vastness of the area and difficulties in getting materials, equipment and workers to the worksite. In addition, the project was delayed for almost two months due to a major insurgent attack that lasted for approximately 90 minutes. He was seriously injured in that attack, but remained on site for four months, before returning home.