Army impresses Wright State assistant dean, changing old perceptions

Lillian Johnson, Wright State University's assistant dean for academic advising and transfer services with University College met many high-ranking officers during her trip including General Benjamin D. Freakley.

No fan of firearms, Lillian Johnson last week cradled a 12-gauge shotgun in her hands trying to shoot skeet whizzing across the field at the San Antonio Gun Club.

Helped by one of the U.S. Army’s top shooters, Johnson hit her target, shattering the clay disk.

The Army also hit its target with Johnson, a Wright State University assistant dean for academic advising and transfer services with University College.

“I came away with more than I expected to get, and on top of that I learned to shoot with the best of the best,” said Johnson.

On short notice, Johnson was invited last weekend to be one of about two-dozen VIPs for the U.S. Army All-American High School Football game in San Antonio and the four days of events that transpired.

It was a chance for her to capitalize on a unique opportunity that others at Wright State have enjoyed in the past.

The Army’s goal, says Johnson?

“I think a lot has to do with dispelling the old myths that the Army was just for people who can’t make it anywhere else,” said Johnson.

As the assistant dean, Johnson is used to advising students who don’t yet know what they want to do with their lives.

“An informed student should be aware of all the major career options, civilian or military, so they can make the best decision for their personal growth and career,” said Johnson. “The military is not for everyone. But being more informed about the multitude of options helps me to help my students.”

Informed firsthand in Texas, Johnson walked away with a new perspective.

“I’m a storyteller,” said Johnson, who works with students who have transferred to Wright State or are undecided on a major. “When I talk to my students, I always have a story, and this is one of those stories I will tell.”

Johnson admits she may have short-changed the opportunities the Army has to offer in the past.

To her surprise, she learned there are more than 160 career fields in the Army a young person can pursue, 16 of which are for officers. And similar to the Air Force and the Navy, the Army has plenty of high-tech options too.

“I am already pro-service; my husband and father are both retired Air Force. But the Army was not what I would have considered the number one service to recommend. It [the trip] really did open my eyes and make me think differently,” said Johnson.

Different was precisely how Johnson felt as she lunched with generals and toured the Center of the Intrepid and the Brook Army Medical Center, meeting wounded warriors determined to get back to their combat units.

“It was awe inspiring,” said Johnson.

That inspiration is what the Army was hoping to generate in a woman who meets with future leaders, who often just need a push in the right direction.

“If I took anything away, it’s that today’s Army is very different from my old perceptions of the Army,” said Johnson. “I am Army strong.”