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RETURN BRINGS MIXED FEELINGS SOLDIER'S FIANCE REMAINS IN IRAQ.


Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

LANCASTER - After spending nearly a year in Iraq, Army Pfc. Amber Johnson returned to her Lancaster home to cheers and hugs from friends, family and people she had never met.

The celebration continued into the night with bands playing in the streets and everyone thanking her for her service.

``People I didn't even know where walking up and giving me hugs,'' Johnson said. ``It was an awesome feeling. It brought me to tears.''

The homecoming was bittersweet bittersweet, name for two unrelated plants, belonging to different families, both fall-fruiting woody vines sometimes cultivated for their decorative scarlet berries.  for Johnson, who was assigned to the HSC HSC - High Speed Connect  94th Engineers Unit, because she was sent home with an honorable discharge honorable discharge
n.
Discharge from the armed forces with a commendable record.

Noun 1. honorable discharge - a discharge from the armed forces with a commendable record
 for medical problems suffered since basic training. Medical staff wanted to send her home then, but she fought to stay in so she could serve with her unit in Iraq.

Johnson, a Lancaster High School Lancaster High School may refer to:
  • Lancaster High School (Lancaster, California)
  • Lancaster High School (Lancaster, New York)
  • Lancaster High School (Lancaster, Texas) in Lancaster, Texas
  • Lancaster High School (Ohio) in Lancaster, Ohio
 graduate, also regretted leaving because she was stationed in Baghdad with her fiance, Staff Sgt. Clint Williams, who won't be returning until February.

Williams proposed to Johnson on the Kuwait-Iraq border the day the war started. She was so shocked she couldn't answer, and just as she was about to say yes, the unit was ordered back to its vehicles because of a sandstorm sandstorm, strong dry wind blowing over the desert that raises and carries along clouds of sand or dust often so dense as to obscure the sun and reduce visibility almost to zero; also known as a duststorm. . Williams went to his truck and Johnson to her ambulance where they waited for the storm to let up. Four days later, they made it official.

``I was shocked but I couldn't answer right away,'' Johnson said. ``It was one of those really bad, wet sandstorms where you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. When I said yes, he said it was the happiest day of his life.''

Johnson met Williams while they were stationed in Germany before leaving for Kuwait. They began dating soon after.

Johnson started out in Kuwait soon after basic training and moved into Baghdad with 600 to 700 soldiers who lived in a terminal. Three months later she was discharged.

Trained as a medic medic: see alfalfa.  before the war, Johnson treated soldiers injured in accidents. After the war started, she got a great deal of experience in combat medicine and was even put in charge of the medical staff.

Just before being discharged she was awarded a commendation for her work in Iraq.

Johnson said she is now looking forward to Williams' return so they can be married in the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming.

The Antelope Valley
, surrounded by her friends and family. After that, Williams will attend an accountant school and be stationed in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Johnson said she will try to get work with a government medical facility and attend college to further her medical training.

Johnson is also hoping to soon see her brother, Chad Johnson, who is also in the Army and stationed in Fort Riley, Kan.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

Army Pfc. Amber Johnson shows a photo of her brother, Chad Johnson, who is stationed in Kansas.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer
COPYRIGHT 2003 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Aug 31, 2003
Words:479
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