JROTC instructor inspires, mentors students

By Elsi Delgado | Contributing Writer |

As kids start to grow into young adults, their choices reflect on who they are going to be and what path they are going to take, but there are always changes, small modifications that make each individual their own unique person. This is Master Sergeant Marchantia Johnson’s story.

Sergeant Johnson was born in June of 1970. In high school, Sergeant Johnson participated in the JROTC program.

“I got my start in JROTC like a lot of students from the program,” Sergeant Johnson said. “And was inspired by the things I was doing as a cadet to join the military.”

Sergeant Johnson, the first-born in her family, became the first person within it to have a career in the military. With 27 years in the army under her belt, Sergeant Johnson was ready to begin a new career—a career in teaching.

As a child, sergeant Johnson wanted to educate. At first she wanted to teach at a primary level, but as she got older, Sergeant Johnson knew that she still wanted to teach, but at a higher grade.

“When I actually started my out processing and they said ‘what are you going to do?’ I said I’m going to teach Junior ROTC,” Johnson said.

Sergeant Johnson will have a total of six years of teaching JROTC here at Roosevelt. 

“I look at MSG Johnson and see more than just a woman of authority,” senior Katya Rodriguez said. “I see a mentor, a person of trust and love. I see her as a woman who loves her job and sacrifices so much for her battalion.”

In those six years, Sergeant Johnson has taken all but one group of unarmed drillers to Army Nationals.

“I want to mentor the students that come to our program or in the

campus in general.” Sergeant Johnson says. “The biggest thing I like about JROTC is that it’s unconventional, in that I can mentor life skills, and teaching character development.”