LARRY JOHNSON IS BEING HONORED AS THE LAKE ANDES SEPTEMBER VETERAN OF THE MONTH

Johnson is a Veteran of the Vietnam War. In 1965, Larry enlisted with the South Dakota National Guard right after college. Larry was a part of the 137th Engineering Battalion, the first National Guard Unit in Wagner. He joined because he thought it was the right thing to do and that the National Guard was a good organization to be a part of. The fact that Larry could still live locally, continue farming and driving trucks while serving his county made the National Guard a good fit for him. Johnson completed his eight weeks of basic training and advanced individual training (AIT) at Fort Englewood, MO. For his AIT, Larry was a 91B, currently known as a 68W, which is a medic. Later in Larry’s National Guard career, he attended Fort Leonard Wood, MO to get another AIT as a truck driver. After completing his first AIT, Johnson returned to Lake Andes to help his dad farm and truck locally. He did this for fifteen years before accepting a full-time position with the Army National Guard unit in Wagner in September of 1984.