Johnny Coleman:
CLASS OF 1971
Cedartown High SchoolClass of 1971
Cedartown, GA
Gadsden State Junior CollegeClass of 1973
Gadsden, AL
Johnny's Story
Life
High school was great, but I was sure glad it ended in 1971. Unfortunately it was only after joining the Air Force that I learned to study and focus on those things that are important. After graduating from High School, I tried College for one year, and failed miserably, which led me to the U.S. Air Force in March 1973. I wanted to serve my country and, hopefully, travel the world. In the summer of 1974 I met the woman that was to become my wife. During a 22 year career I lived in Germany for 5 years, Alaska for 3, and England for 4. I married in March 1975 and had a daughter in 1979 and a son in 1981. I am still married to the same lady and we have a great time together. I have completed my BS Computer Science and hold an MBA. After retiring from the Air Force in Dec 1994, I went to work at Total System Services (TSYS) in Columbus, GA as a computer programmer. The Department I worked in merged with a part of Visa and formed Vital Processing Services where I worked my way from an entry level programmer to IT Manager. I have travelled all over the United States and most of Europe. In March 2006 I left Vital and moved to Cocoa Beach, FL. where I did consulting and IT contract work. In Dec 2007 I accepted a position with a small company in Plano, TX (near Dallas) as a Senior Business Analyst where I designed web applications, provide project management, and client support. I left Texas in July 2009 and have returned to Cocoa Beach, FL and am a sales agent signing merchant accounts to process their credit card, debit card, and electronic check transactions. My wife and I travel as much as possible and never pass on a chance to go to Key West, Florida. We also enjoy going on cruises.
Workplace
I am currently an independent Sales Agent with a company that signs merchant accounts to process their electronic payments (credit cards,etc). Prior to this, I was with a small company in Plano, TX as a Senior Business Analyst. This job included client relationship management, project management, web design, and anything else the company decided. In 2006 - 2007, I was a Consultant in the electronic payments industry. My IT and electronics payment industry knowledge came from 10 years employment with a credit card processing company (Vital) in Columbus, GA. This included working my way from an entry level programmer to IT Manager. I am most proud of the 22 year career in the U.S. Air Force, where I retired as a Master Sargeant in December 1994. My Air Forc...Expand for more
e job was in the Command and Control field where I started as a Command Post Controller and have held positions as Training Manager, Reports Manager, Console Manager, Manager of Command Post, and Superintendent of Command and Control. I have managed Command Posts with as few as 6 persons to as many as 47. At Vital I began as an entry level programmer coding in Assembler Language, and progressed to Systems Analyst and then IT Manager.
Military
I attended Basic Training at Lackland AFB, TX in March 1973. My technical training followed at Keesler AFB, MS in the Command and Control School. In August 1973 I went to Charleston AFB, SC to begin my long career in the Command Post. This tour lasted only until March 1975, at which time I was reassigned to Hahn AB, Germany. I got married prior to leaving for Germany. This was a two year tour, however, I had to leave Germany in September 1976 and was reassigned to Patrick AFB, FL due to my wife's pregnancy problems and then the death of our first born. We later had a beautiful daughter. We left Patrick in June 1980 for Elmendorf AFB, AK. This place was awesome and I had the best job of my career. I worked as a Rescue Controller in the Alaskan Air Command Resue Coordination Center. I was part of one of the largest Air/Sea rescues ever known when the Cruise Liner "Prinsendam" caught fire and subsequently sank in the Gulf of Alaska. We rescued over 500 people from life boats in 10 foot Seas in the cold month of October. There were many other rescues I was just as proud of, but the best highlight came when we added a son to our family in September 1981. Regretfully, this tour came to an end in July 1983, and we began our second tour in Germany. We were assigned to Ramstein AB, Germany where we made many friends and had great times. In 1986 I was assigned to the Air Force Emergency Operations Center where I finally got my chance to work for Headquarters Air Force. I was actually assigned to the Pentagon, but worked inside a deep mountain in a totally protected facility. Two years later saw me going to take over the Command Post at Columbus AFB, MS. This was where I believe I did my best work. But after two years, I found myself and family on the go again as the Air Force reassigned me to RAF Lakenheath, UK. England was awesome. There was so much to see and do that we really should have stayed longer than 4 years.
This was when I decided it was time to hang up my Blue Suit and Cammies. I retired in December 1994.
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