Stryker Brigade News

My deepest sympathy goes to the family and friends of Randy Johnson. He gave his life fighting for the freedom of those in his own country and for the people of Iraq. He is a hero among the heroes and will be sorely missed by those who knew him and by his brothers who were fighting along side of him as part of the 2/2SCR.
A proud mother of a 2/2SCR soldier.

May God bless this family now and always.
Former Stryker Mom,
Ellen

From a new Stryker Mom---
Many prayers for the family and friends of this Fallen Hero.
My heart goes out to you all.
May God be with you.

To the family, friends and fellow soldiers working along side SFC Randy Johnson, may God give you the necessary strength for each day without your loved one, until you meet again. SFC Johnson, words cannot express the gratitude and heartfelt respect I have for you. You volunteered to keep complete strangers safe..."no greater love" Rest in peace young soldier.
Sincere gratitude,
Linda
Joe's Stryker Mom
WIA 10/31/05

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of SFC Randy Johnson. I feel for your loss and want you to know he will never be forgotten. He will always be a hero.
Love
Audra Fedde
Sister-in-law of Sgt. Andrew Higgins, KIA 6-5-07

To the Family and Loved Ones of SFC Randy Johnson:
"I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom".....Abraham Lincoln.
Our family extends our deepest sympathy to you on the tragic loss of your Hero, and we will remember you in our prayers. With much sadness, 3/2SCR Dad

My heart and prayers go out to all of the Family and fellow Soldiers of SFC Johnson.
My Grandson also serves in this unit, and
I know this loss is felt by all of them. He is an American Hero, and paid the ultimate
sacrifice for all of us. We will not forget what he has done for us. God Speed to all of you.
Granny of a Stryker Soldier

To Randy's family,

My son Daniel was in his squad while they were at Ft. Lewis and most of the time in Germany. Daniel described him as a great guy and wants you to know of his sorrow.

The guys in the platoon gave tribute to him by smoking a cigarette. I am not sure what the significance (Daniel doesn't smoke), but apparently it was meaningful to them.

He will be missed by more people than you probably realize; he touched so many and that makes your loss all the more tragic. He was a good man.

Condolences and sympathy. 2/2SCR Mom Diane

I am so sorry for your loss
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit
GOD Bless you and your family. Your son was a true American Hero and we are all very proud of his service.

Gale Poindexter
( Proud mother of Sgt Joel W. Lewis, ACo. 5/20, 3-2 SBCT -KIA May 6/07, Baqubah, Iraq )

Our sincere condolences to the family, friends and fellow's brothers in arms of SFC. Johnson,. May God give the strengh, peace and comfort during this difficult time. Rest in peace "Hero" , Thank you for your services and sacrifice for this country and for the people of Iraq. Godspeed!

Edgardo, Spc. Cruz dad's, A Co. 5/20 3/2 SBCT.

Strykers's family

I would like to share my condolences and appreciation to SFC. Johnson's family and friends! SFC. Johnson is a Hero and deserves the Respect and Honor of a Hero! May the days ahead get easier for you knowing that SFC. Johnson stood for something and protected our Freedom! He is a HERO in my eyes and I appreciate his ultimate sacrifice. "We Will Never Forget!"

If there is anything I can ever do for you and your family please don't hesitate to ask!

Tom "Taz" Hoffmann
Deputy Director Help on the HomeFront

www.patriotguard.org

Proud Father of
SPC Matthew T. Hoffmann, H-Co., 3rd Brigade, 2nd Stryker Calvary Regiment, Baghdad, Iraq

SPC Sidney Hoffmann, Army National Guard, Reserves, 75th Troop Command, HHD 206th Chemical Support Battalion; Richmond, KY

Lost, Lest I go my uncaring way
Help me to remember
That Somewhere out there
A Man Died for me Today.
So Long as there be War
I must ask and answer,
"Am I Worth Dying For?"

God does know what HE is doing, but HE does not share HIS PLAN with us. Know that SFC Randy Johnson is in God's Hands now, and he is at peace. He gave his life that others might live in peace and freedom. He now knows the Ultimate Peace. May his family, friends and loved ones find comfort in his reward, and strength in the knowledge that the Stryker Family shares your loss. We pray that you will find your peace in the memories of the good times with Randy, and keep his memory alive until you meet again.

I dont know if the family of sfc j will ever read this, but if so, i just want to say I'm sorry. I guess i feel like i let you down. sfc J took care of us. Before we got hit, he was telling us what he was going to do with his family when he got home. He loved his family with all his heart. he never failed in making us laugh, even if it was while he was telling me how much better his redskins were then my giants. i'll always remember him as a family man, an incredible NCO and a easygoing loveable person. If there is anything i can do for you, please let me know. anythign at all.

Joshua Lord
3rd Platoon Medic, Killer Troop, 2SCR

to sfc J...
I know your looking over your family right now, but maybe you can hear me right now. maybe im just posting a comment on a website that no one will ever read. i dont know. but if you are listening, just know that i will never forget what happened that day, i will never forget YOU sergeant J. Ever. THAT i promise to you. i dont know if simply remembering you is enough, but if there is something else i can do, give me a sign and ill do it. You taught us so much, and even though i was only your medic, i learned so much from you as a person. And i know you would be telling me to be a man and that life goes on if you were here right now. I hope that i can make you proud in my life. And I'm sure your up there having a bbq just like we talked about. I miss you already sfc j... and youll always be in my heart.

DOC

To SFC Johnson's family,
I heard of Randy's passing just a few days ago and have felt the loss more profoundly than any other that this war has brought to me. I met SFC Johnson at the end of 2005 when I took an OC/T position after completeing my first tour in Iraq. As part of the then 4th BDE, 91st DIV I was assigned to 2/367 IN and placed on SFC Johnson's OC/T team. For the majority of the next year I spent every morning picking up "Sergent J" at his house and waving to his little boy though the window before we headed out to PT or conduct training. I know in the time that I knew him SFC Johnson was one of the finest leaders I had ever known. He worked hard everyday to ensure every solider we trained had every possible tool we could provide them before we sent them off to combat. I have taken that way of thinking and made it a part of my own being as an NCO. There was never a question in my mind that he wouldn't think twice about giving everything for his family, his men, or his country. My heartfelt condolences goes out to his Wife, son and their newborn child. I know that you were the happiness in his heart everyday. I think about all the cold dark mornings I spent with "J" sitting in a OC Humvee drinking coffee and watching the sun come up over Ft. Lewis and I miss him more than I can ever express. Thank you for sharing him with us for the precious time he had to spend here on earth. Randy gave everything for you and for us, so I would like to leave you with a few words from George Orwell since I know SFC Johnson has always been one of these "rough men" who protects us all.

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those that would do us harm"
-George Orwell

Godspeed SFC "J"

It's no doubt that SFC J was loved and respected by his unit and will be greatly missed by all. My prayers and thoughts go out to the family. God Bless. TJM

To the family of SFC Johnson: I am so terribly sorry for your loss. I will never understand your grief. Know that many prayers are with you and your family. SFC Johnson is a hero, and will never be forgotten.

Please accept my heartfelt sympathies for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time.
~Those we love are never really lost to us--
we feel them in so many special ways--
through friends they always cared about
and dreams they left behind,
in beauty that they added to our days...
in words of wisdom we still carry with us
and memories that never will be gone...
Those we love
are never really lost to us--
for everywhere their special love lives on.~

This really hits home as he was one of the first people my husband met when we first moved to Germany in 2001. SSG Johnson and his family are wonderful people and we are proud to call them friends, more like extended family as we they have been there for us and we have been there for them. He and my husband were in two deployments together. I am so sorry to hear that his wife and children had to endure such pain and we know SSG Johnson will be missed dearly, we will continue to pray for his family and those who knew him like we did. I know he is in a better place now, home with the Lord.