LEMOORE, Calif. - Every sailor’s story of naval service is unique. For Airman Semaj Johnson, this story has ties to Jacksonville, Florida, where skills and values learned there are foundational to success in the Navy.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Mitch Meppelink |
“The way I am today, I tried to learn from the mistakes I saw my peers make when I was younger,” Johnson said. “I’d see the aftermath and see that I should do the opposite. I know my mom wants to see me do well, and I made it my priority to make my mom proud of me. Whether it was my grades or in sports, I wanted her to see me win. It’s gotten me to where I am. It benefited me as an adult because everything she did taught me to keep doing good. I was looking at it as making her proud, but the end goal was for me to be an adult who made myself proud.”
Johnson graduated from William M. Raines High School in 2021.
Johnson joined the Navy two years ago.
“I joined because I felt like I didn’t have any guidance on a path for my future,” Johnson said. “I was the first person to go to college from my side of the family. No one told me how hard it would be to balance school, work and life. My grades suffered, and I lost my track scholarship. I fought to get my grades back up and get my scholarship back, but once I was back in that cycle, I could either let it happen again, or I could go into the military. I joined the Navy, and I feel like it’s the best thing I could have done for myself.”
Today, Johnson serves as an aviation structural mechanic assigned to the “Black Aces” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41 onboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore.
NAS Lemoore is home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing. More than half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft reside here, and it is the only Navy installation to house the F-35C Lightning II.
Carrier strike groups and the embarked aviation squadrons are the cornerstone of U.S. naval power projection and sea power. They can quickly maneuver thousands of miles with the world’s most capable warships and top-notch sailors, remaining on station in areas of interest without relying on land bases or overflight agreements. U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are the most adaptable, lethal and survivable airfields in the world and their presence serves as the most credible commitment to our allies and partners.
Naval aviation provides the Navy and our nation with a flexible, adaptable, and lethal force to preserve peace, respond in crises and win decisively in combat. The U.S. Navy maintains and operates more than 2,000 aircraft to fulfill various mission sets in order to preserve the American way of life and ensure freedom, security and prosperity.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber-optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Johnson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“We go through a phase where we go through ‘A’ school with the rate or job we chose, and if we fail, we have to choose another rate,” Johnson said. “It was rough. I didn’t want to have to start over, and I didn’t want to have to choose a different rate. I finished strong and got to keep the rate I wanted. Now I’m in a great squadron, and I love the people I work with.”
Johnson serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence. According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/
“Serving in the Navy, for me, means being part of an organization,” Johnson said. “We travel around the world to help people.”
Johnson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my mom, Feldreka Mann, because my whole childhood was motivated by her,” Johnson said. “I wanted to make her proud, and it’s gotten me this far. I plan to continue to do it. I also want to thank my little sister because she motivates me to continue to do great things. She’s following in my footsteps as far as sports and grades. I want to thank the rest of my family as well for their support and I miss them. Finally, I want to thank my husband, Anthony, who is also in the Navy and serves as an aviation ordnanceman, for making me the happiest woman on earth and for supporting me and taking care of me through the rough times I’ve had with being so far away from my family.”