Hometown Hero Anthony Johnson
By: Joe Parker
Updated: March 18, 2013
Anthony Johnson is originally from the Utica-Rome area and graduated from Rome Free Academy in 2007.
Now, U-S Army Sergeant Johnson is deployed to Afghanistan. It's his third tour in four years. He is a combat engineer in the 4th engineer battalion out of Fort Carson, Colorado.
His wife Ariana, says Anthony is a true soldier at heart and would rather be in the middle of all the action, but loves the opportunity to teach new soldiers. Ariana says her husband takes care of his men, one of whom he pulled from the wreckage of a blown up truck.
Ariana says Anthony's men have become her "brothers" who also protect her and everyone they serve.
She says her husband has 8 more months left in Afghanistan. Until then, they "get by" with phone calls and the support of his family in Rome.
Ariana is planning a fundraiser at a restaurant her at home and says it will be a chance for people to show our service members how much they mean to thome of us here at home.
Eyewitness News salutes you, Sergeant Anthony Johnson. We're proud to have you as our Hometown Hero.
