Jerry Johnson:  

Life No, you won't find me in the year book. But DHS was the last public high school I attended, and so forth forever hold my memories of what traditional high school was all about. Though I haven't lived in the US for years I do think back frequently to that time of my life. I joined the military after dropping out of DHS during the Nam era and retired from the army after over 20 years of service. I recently moved back to Europe from Asia and now work for the department of defense between Kosovo and Bosnia. I'm on my second marriage and all my children are adults and attended colleges in Virginia, Georgia, Wash, D.C., and Gold Coast, Australia. I was able to finish high school and almost received an associates degree from the University of Maryland, short of 9 credit hours of math, all through a combination of credits from University of Maryland (Pacific), University of Maryland (Atlantic), Los Angeles Community College, Austin Peay University, Central Texas College, Murray State, and City College of Chicago. I call it my "patchwork" education. Though I wasn't so popular while attending DHS, I did play a little football, and had the street name "T-Red". Yes I was somewhat of a thug then but in actuality I was a geek and only a few of my friends knew this. I was actually trying to study when no one was paying attention to my wasteful clowning. Now, sometimes in melancholy thought, just want to confirm to myself that this period of my life really existed. It has been so long since I have been back and seen anyone from that era except my friend and former brother-in-law Patrick Grier. I remember "Big Chicago's", Burger Chef, Pizza by Candlelight, Coach Palmer, Coach Reinhart, Mrs. Brown, the old building, great basketball teams, and the many asshole upper classmen of 71,72,73, who took advantage of the class of 74. You know who you are (smile). I have 8 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. I am retired from all government service. I was back in Atlanta also Wash DC, between 2014, to visit family. During the visit I only seen one person from "back in the day", and that was Victor Winfrey. I seen him at the Main Post Office in Decatur. That was a pleasant surprise. I always considered him a friend and still do. We not only attended DHS together we graduated 7th grade together as well from College Heights Elementary School. I have been to every continent except Antarctica and Australia, and have witnessed and experienced some very unique and once in a life time situations. Though, unfortunately, not all my travels were glamour and down-time. Some things I would just like to forget altogether. Even with some regret, I wouldn't change those experiences for anything, and thank God for letting me survive and be able to relay some of my crazy adventures to my family and friends. You would be astonished to know that my feet were on the ground at many of the major international military events that happened over the last 35 years from our government and others places that most couldn't find on a map. I witnessed the tearing down of the Berlin Wall and actually have pieces of it. My last military duty position prior to retirement was as an intelligence analyst, counterintelligence/security manager, and crypto-communications manager which required one of the highest compartmentalized US Government security clearance classification levels. NO! I was not a spook. It's hard enough trying to stay sane while driving in your lane. My military folks who know me well know what the deal is. I am a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). I've been through three (3) passports already, even though my military travels only occasionally required it. These are some of the places I have worked, lived, and visited outside the US, some of these were missions, so no details (smile): Japan Panama Philippines Thailand Guam Korea Hong Kong Hawaii Alaska Nova Scotia and Gander, Canada Russia England Guyana Burundi/Rwanda Hungary Romania Bulgaria Serbia Kosovo Croatia Macedonia Bosnia T'bilisi, Georgia The Azores Islands Currently living in Germany (sometimes with a little down time or whenever I get the chance, will visit Austria, Holland, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Portugal). It's all European Union now, so border restrictions are minimal, and only at a few crossings. The French border is only an hour and a half from where I live, and I can be center city of Amsterdam in five hours, by car. I have been fortunate to meet and have so many great friends during my journey, from all walks of life. At one time I was proficient in the Spanish language. I do speak some Deutsch, being I live here, but I have to admit to myself, I could learn more. I have some knowledge of Tagalog, which is the major dialect spoken in the Philippines, and some Japanese. Being that I am retired now and at home everyday I do research on Ancient Egypt and Africa, Mythology, Ancient Eastern Religions and Mysticisms, Tao, Astronomy, Geography, Egyptian Astrology, and Philosophy. I also study the origins and etymology of the English language. I never would have thought that I would love reading and research as much as I do now. There is so much to learn. I hope to see the Pyramids. I...Expand for more