4 minute read
Serving with Distinction
Two members of the Shawnee Police Department are also in the U.S. military.
Article by Beth Kornegay
Two members of the Shawnee Police Department recently returned home after completing military deployments. Platoon Sgt. Johnnie Ross recently completed a nearly year-long deployment with the 3rd Platoon, C Co. 1-635 Armored Regiment. Ross holds the military rank of first sergeant in the company, which is the only mechanized infantry company in the state of Kansas.
With a total of 22 years of military service, Ross served four years of active duty in the Army plus 18 years in the Kansas Army National Guard. He was deployed in 1999 to Albania and Kosovo; in 2001 to Macedonia; in 2009 to Saudi Arabia; in 2010 to the Horn of Africa; and in 2017 to Kuwait.
In his most recent deployment, Ross spent 10 months in Syria, where his platoon conducted security patrols and civil engagements throughout northeastern Syria.
Ross has been with the Shawnee Police Department since 2016 and serves as a patrol sergeant. While ensuring the safety of Shawnee’s citizens is part of his full-time job, he also chooses to continue his military service because it allows him to serve his state and country.
“I am deeply grateful to the Shawnee Police Department, Shawnee City government, and the community as a whole for the amount of support I’ve been shown during my deployment and for allowing me the opportunity to continue my military service,” Ross says.
While deployed, Ross’s platoon conducted mounted security patrols and worked with regional partners throughout northeast Syria to increase regional stability. On numerous occasions, his team was invited to drink tea with the local citizens, who always appeared to appreciate the U.S. presence and were hospitable to U.S. military members.
While there was never a “typical day” during his time in Syria, Ross says when his platoon was not out on patrol, they performed maintenance on vehicles to ensure the machines were in top operating condition. The platoon also assisted with base security operations.
Another Shawnee Police Department officer who recently returned home to the area is Officer Grant Swearngin. He’s been with the Shawnee Police Department for three years and is currently part of the patrol division. In addition, he’s currently a sergeant with the Kansas Army National Guard Headquarters Co. 1-635 Armor Regiment Battalion where he has served for 10 years, including eight years as an 11B infantryman and two as an 11C mortarman.
An 11B infantryman is trained in the use of individual small-arms weapons as well as heavy anti-armor weapons. Those individuals participate in offensive and defensive combat operations. An 11C mortarman specializes in using mortars and locates and neutralizes mines.
Though he joined the military to see new places, Swearngin was also looking for a practical way to gain experience in lieu of attending college. He was deployed in 2018 and 2019 in Syria and, most recently, for nine months in Kuwait and Jordan.
During that recent deployment, Swearngin was a mortar team leader, where he worked with other service members specializing in indirect fire in order to suppress, contain, or observe the enemy.
“Most of the time while I was away, my time was spent training foreign militaries on my specific job. We utilized translators and myself and the other team leaders would meet with other military leaders and demonstrate our jobs to help them become better trained,” Swearngin says.
Shawnee Chief of Police Sam Larson recognizes that his officers sacrifice a great deal at home to serve their country during their deployments, and he’s thankful they are safely back home. Noting that both Ross and Swearngin selflessly served their country and the City of Shawnee, he says their service accurately represents the living motto of “service above self.”
“We’re glad they made it back safely to continue to serve the citizens of Shawnee. As chief and a lifelong Shawnee resident, I am extremely proud of that service, and we fully support our employees who serve in the military. I thank them for their service to our country and welcome them back home safely,” Larson says.
During their deployments, both officers were on an extended leave of absence for military duty with the city of Shawnee.
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Shawnee Police Department
5850 Renner Road
Shawnee, KS 66217
913-631-2150 (non-emergency)
913-631-2155 (records)
