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vol 3 issue 8
november 2018
CC Biker & Motorsports
“Sergeant Johnny” By Troy Keath
WARREN
graduating from airborne school he I have had the pleasure of meeting volunteered for Ranger school. After Mr. Johnny “Sergeant Johnny” experiencing the “joys” of Ranger Warren through a PTSD peer sup- School he was deployed to Vietnam port treatment at the Veteran Affairs with the 101st Airborne Division “Screaming Hospital. Eagles” in Novemergeant Johnny was a draftee ber 1967. into the Vietnam War right out Johnny of Sacramento State College. Sergeant He tried to prolong college as long served 2 long back as he could (taking 6 years to finally to back tours in graduate) but the draft caught him Vietnam. After experias soon as he graduated. Sergeant encing some traumatic Johnny said that he was informed events during his time by the Army recruiter that officers as an Infantry Airborne had a very short life expectancy so Ranger, he came back he knew that he didn’t want to be a with a lot of nightcommissioned officer so he decided mares and flashbacks to enlist even though he had a college that he wasn’t seeking degree. Sergeant Johnny graduated help for. Sergeant Johnny started from Basic Training in Fort Benning to believe that he wasn’t in control Georgia. The conflict in Vietnam anymore once he realized that two was growing and the United States long years have passed after returnkept sending troops over for support. ing from the war in Vietnam and he Sergeant Johnny decided that he was living in San Francisco in a loft would volunteer for extra military with 6 other people. He explained schools to prolong his time to from that this was not a normal living sitbeing sent over to Vietnam. He got uation or a healthy environment to selected for airborne school. After live in. Johnny said that they all were
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drinking themselves to death and using other substances such as heroin, cocaine, and marijuana to help with the nightmares from the war. He explained that the troops were not getting the welcoming home ceremonies as they are today, that they were getting spit on and called “baby killers and murders” (Dobereiner, N. (2013). Johnny said that this lead him into one of his darkest depression holes that he has ever been in. He said that he was so ashamed of himself of what he was becoming and he avoided his family and his old college friends that were trying to find him. Sergeant Johnny kept this life style in San Francisco for two years until one day his older brother found out where he was at and dragged him out of that unhealthy environment and got him help at a local Alcohol
Anonymous (AA) Rehabilitation Center. After 30 long days of struggle of addiction along with perseverance to continue to fight for sobriety, Johnny finally got clean. Sergeant Johnny’s life is completely different now because he constantly reminds himself of where he was when he was abusing drugs and alcohol and where that will lead him to where he is today. Johnny explained that his life of recovery from abusing drugs and alcohol is the only path for him. He explained that large crowds have always been a huge ordeal for him and that he would avoid them at all costs. Johnny said that he went through some Prolong Exposure Therapy (PE) at the VA where he started off at less crowed places like coffee shops and then eventually over time worked his way up to big stores like Walmart that are always crowded. Johnny says that he now goes to concerts in the park and has the freedom of going where ever he wants too. SGT Johnny gives thanks to the VA for helping him and other American Hero’s!
Have you signed the PINK CAR? By: Christina Nunez On Thursday October 11, 2018 CC Biker and Motorsports Newspaper had the opportunity to attend an event for Breast Cancer Awareness, little did we know that we’d be putting our signatures on a pink Acura. After talking with Ms. Ellena Woodhams
marketing director of Fresno Acura and hearing the background as to why they have people sign what they refer to as the “Pink Car” I felt inspired to write this story on it and get the word out. I am hoping with my story we can help Fresno Acura acquire more signatures next October and many
future years to come.
figures out their donation amount.
Upon talking to Ms. Ellena Woodhams and watching their Youtube video I have learned that they started the pink car in 2013 as they wanted to do something unique and fun way to engage to their customers and the community at large for Breast Cancer Awareness. They take a brand-new Acura to Method Media of Fresno where they have the Acura wrapped in a bubblegum pink. They then take it around the community to different events, hospitals, businesses, and have traveled as far as Visalia to get as many signatures on the Acura as possible. At the end of October, they add up all of the signatures that they receive and that’s how Fresno Acura
As of Friday October 19, 2018, they have a total of 2,200 signatures and going strong. Their donations go to help pay for mammograms, research and education and advocacy programs at the local Breast Cancer center. So, if you haven’t had the opportunity to sign the “Pink Car” and would like to in the future please look up the “Pink Car” on social media and on Youtube you can also go to Fresno Acura the whole month of October to get your signature on the “Pink Car” and support a good cause. We will have our signatures on there for many years to come! Thank you, Fresno Acura, for supporting a great cause! References