WEBVTT 00:04.440 --> 00:06.551 I'm Lieutenant Colonel Troy Johnson . 00:06.551 --> 00:08.710 I'm the 1 56 combat Communication 00:08.710 --> 00:11.430 Squadron Commander here . Um , unique 00:11.440 --> 00:14.890 airbase , Puerto Rico . Um , I've been 00:14.890 --> 00:16.510 in combat communications for 00:16.510 --> 00:19.770 approximately 30 years . So when I took 00:19.770 --> 00:22.650 command here , um , in my in my 00:22.740 --> 00:25.860 assumption speech , I I spoke to , 00:26.240 --> 00:29.180 um that this wasn't a day about Troy 00:29.180 --> 00:31.347 Johnson taking command of a squadron . 00:31.347 --> 00:33.180 Um , that it was something about 00:33.180 --> 00:35.236 something greater than that . It was 00:35.236 --> 00:37.236 about , um , individuals who looked 00:37.236 --> 00:39.800 like me who spoke like me , talk like 00:39.800 --> 00:43.420 me , um , achieving goals far 00:43.420 --> 00:45.350 higher than they ever set out for 00:45.350 --> 00:47.406 themselves and even far greater than 00:47.406 --> 00:49.517 what the world may expect from them . 00:49.840 --> 00:53.420 So never give up hope and never give up 00:53.430 --> 00:55.374 being focused on those ideas . And 00:55.374 --> 00:59.010 those goals . I do realize 00:59.010 --> 01:01.760 that , um before there was an African 01:01.760 --> 01:04.700 American , um , there were Africans who 01:04.700 --> 01:06.811 were brought throughout the Caribbean 01:06.811 --> 01:09.620 on their way to , um on the way to the 01:09.620 --> 01:12.230 Americans . Eso I really enjoyed . For 01:12.230 --> 01:13.952 me , it's It's like a cultural 01:13.952 --> 01:15.897 adventure into something that I've 01:15.897 --> 01:17.897 always kind of studied and wondered 01:17.897 --> 01:20.410 about , Um , you know , through African 01:20.410 --> 01:23.390 American history and our process of 01:23.400 --> 01:25.770 coming from Africa to the United 01:25.770 --> 01:29.740 States . My dad was 01:29.740 --> 01:31.851 a Vietnam vet , and I had three other 01:31.851 --> 01:34.129 uncles who also served in the military . 01:34.129 --> 01:36.073 One of them in the Air Force . The 01:36.073 --> 01:38.184 biggest step for overcoming obstacles 01:38.184 --> 01:41.440 is just being persistent . Um , and 01:41.440 --> 01:43.420 consist . Um , um , you have to 01:43.430 --> 01:45.597 continue to try . You have to continue 01:45.597 --> 01:47.940 to strive . And that means being a 01:47.940 --> 01:49.860 better you Each and every day 01:54.040 --> 01:55.873 kind of goes back to what I said 01:55.873 --> 01:57.929 earlier is being the best . You that 01:57.929 --> 02:00.630 you could be key things for me is , um , 02:00.640 --> 02:03.300 I would not be where I am if it had not 02:03.300 --> 02:05.730 been for my family . Um , you know , 02:05.730 --> 02:08.590 the the support off . You know , I have 02:08.600 --> 02:11.200 two sons , Jamison and Ethan and my 02:11.200 --> 02:13.890 wife Monica . So , just understanding 02:13.890 --> 02:16.450 that and the importance of family in a 02:16.450 --> 02:18.728 supportive family , what will help you , 02:18.728 --> 02:21.060 Um , proceed further into your career .