Expanding Perspectives | Barksdale Airman Supports Ulchi Freedom Shield 2026
“As a young kid, I always wanted to join the military,” said Johnson. “As I got older, the reason for wanting to do so was because I wanted to contribute to something bigger than myself.”
Johnson, a clinical nurse assigned to the 307th Medical Squadron, was recently selected to participate in a joint exercise with the Republic of Korea military during Ulchi Freedom Shield 2026 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, in August 2026.
UFS is an annual exercise that reinforces the strength and readiness of the U.S. – South Korea alliance in anticipation of regional security threats. This year, Johnson took on supervisory exercise roles during UFS 2026 — receiving accolades from Lt. Gen. Andy Croft, PASC Senior Air Controller, Brig. Gen. Kevin Roethe, PASC Senior Air Controller, and Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Nelson, PASC Senior Enlisted Leader.
“Our operations at the Pacific Air Simulation Center rely entirely on dedicated field-grade officers who can step into a highly complex, combined environment and deliver immediate results—and Finny did precisely that,” PASC leaders wrote. “It was an absolute privilege to have Finny on our team.”
Those letters outlined the true impact of Johnson’s work at Osan as leaders praised his performance and ability to remain steady, adaptable and mission-focused.
"I was the acting Surgeon General expert and also played the role of commander of Osan Air Base," said Johnson. "So if there was a scenario that was injected into the day, we would work with our counterparts at both Osan and other bases to make sure the casualties are evacuated and attend to any immediate medical needs."
Despite his exemplary service, Johnson was struck by a sudden illness during his first week overseas but kept showing up.
"I was quite sick the first week that we started the exercise, but I went to work every single day," said Johnson. "So I think they saw that even though I was quite ill, I showed up every day, worked 12 hours, and that might have led to them recognizing me."
Johnson pushed through the illness with the help of his team, relying on the same experience that guides his work as a clinical nurse with the 307th Medical Squadron. While his monthly role focuses largely on ensuring Airmen are medically ready to deploy, UFS '26 allowed him to apply that experience on a much larger scale.
"What I do monthly as a reservist is work with our Air Force members to make sure that they're deployable," he said. "The difference between my job and my role [during UFS] was just the teamwork."
He added that the exercise was "really about coordination with different medical groups," noting that the roles often rotated in 24-hour shifts between him and one other clinical nurse on site.
Johnson shared that although adjusting to the 24-hour schedule could have been difficult, the partnership between the U.S. and Republic of Korea military made the change seamless.
"The best way to explain that is the teamwork that immediately happened when we were there," he said. "Everyone had assigned roles, and we were all sitting together and able to communicate in real time exactly what each of our needs were and how we could help each other."
Following the conclusion of UFS, Johnson learned a unique lesson.
"It's about expanding perspectives," he said. "I have the privilege of being an officer in the Air Force, and as my career progresses, we may be kind of pigeonholed or just have one assignment or duty, but I think these experiences allow us to take on a larger, greater responsibility, and it helps us understand how our mission at the 307th (Bomb Wing) connects on a global level."
He expressed an appreciation for the opportunity to work with different agencies, U.S. allies and partners to accomplish strategic objectives.
"Because I was able to work with our colleagues from Australia, from Italy, and different parts of the U.S., we were able to establish a new perspective and understanding of how our local mission supports the larger Air Force missions," said Johnson.
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