LHS graduate Kristopher Johnson promoted to Ohio Army National Guard battalion commander

Jeff Barron, Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
·2 min read

LANCASTER − Lancaster High School 1995 graduate Lt. Col. Kristopher Johnson recently took command of all Ohio Army National Guard Army Aviation units as the new battalion commander. He now commands all Ohio army aviation units.

"I have been in and around army aviation most of my career, other than going back to Ohio University to be a military science professor for ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps)," he said. "So I just worked my way up through the ranks and continued my military education. And I stressed my interest in being battalion commander and it became available."

Johnson is based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base near Lockbourne.

Upon high school graduation Johnson, 45, entered the ROTC program at OU. He then went to flight school to be a U.S. Army helicopter pilot.

Lancaster High School 1995 graduate Lt. Col. Kristopher Johnson recently took command of all Ohio Army National Guard Army Aviation units as the new battalion commander. He now commands all Ohio army aviation units.
Lancaster High School 1995 graduate Lt. Col. Kristopher Johnson recently took command of all Ohio Army National Guard Army Aviation units as the new battalion commander. He now commands all Ohio army aviation units.

"Which is the thing I always wanted to do since I was a kid was to fly helicopters," Johnson said. I thought it was the coolest job in the world. So upon completing ROTC, I became an officer. Completing the flight school made me an army helicopter pilot and an officer, and I joined the National Guard and have been in the National Guard since."

He joined the Ohio National Guard in 1999. During his career, he was part of a support team following Hurricane Katrina in the New Orleans area in 2005. Johnson was also a flight company commander in Iraq and was on support missions for various government officials and celebrities.

"We flew Arnold Schwarzenegger, Angelina Jolie, the Charlie Daniels Band and a few other people, we would fly as they came in the country," he said. "We would be there to help support and fly them around."

The Ohio Army National Guard also supports the governor and can help fight forest fires, among other duties. It also supports the U.S. Department of Defense in its operations.

Johnson's brother was in a military special forces unit which inspired his own military career. He was also inspired by going to air shows at Rickenbacker.

"I always had a fascination with helicopters and army helicopters," Johnson said. "So when I graduated from Lancaster High School I was looking for any path that got me to be a helicopter pilot. It would require a college education and I had to become an officer and I had to fight and get accepted for a flight slot. And I did all those."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-681-4340

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: LHS graduate is new Ohio Army National Guard battalion commander