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Bridging the Gap | Fred Johnson | TEDxWoffordCollege

2,576 views · Published 27 November 2018 · 17:52 · Indexed 29 September 2026

Channel: TEDx Talks · 2018 · Nonprofits & Activism

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In his talk, Colonel Fred Johnson shares his experiences with war, both abroad while deployed as well as engaged in the war at home; the war within himself. He explains why our society must understand the sacrifice of the soldier, and the impact on the families of soldiers.
 Fred Johnson is a retired Infantry Colonel with 29 years of service in the United States Army. Johnson was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. in 1985, where he earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Government and Sociology. He also played basketball and ran cross country for the Wofford Terriers. Johnson’s education surpassed the undergraduate level, as he holds two Masters Degree. Colonel Johnson, upon graduating from Wofford, served four deployments, two to Iraq and one to both Bosnia and Afghanistan. During his second tour in Iraq, Col. Johnson received his first of three Bronze Stars, the fourth highest military decoration for valor. Col. Johnson retired from the Army in 2014 and has since committed his time and energy to volunteer and advocacy work in the community of Louisville, Kentucky, volunteering with Restorative Justice Louisville and serving as a youth mentor with YouthBuild Louisville and Shelby Traditional Academy. Fred is the co-founder of Shakespeare with Veterans, a program dedicated to using the words and plays of William Shakespeare to help veterans deal with the challenges transitioning from military service to civilian life. Col. Johnson remains open of the hardships of active duty in combat zones, and serves to help fellow service men and women overcome combat trauma and PTSD. Col. Johnson has also brought his leadership skills to the corporate world, serving as the founder and military director of the Perryville Battlefield Leadership Experience, which leads workshops to teach soft skills to corporate executives and their staffs. Such work influenced Col. Johnson’s book, Five Wars: A Soldier’s Journey to Peace and Soft Skills in Hard Places: The Perryville Battlefield Leadership Experience. He currently works as a Senior Consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton. Johnson is happily married to Dr. Laura Johnson and the proud father of their daughter, Madelyn Johnson. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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