Deputy to the Commanding General
Dr. Nola Rebecca Johnson was born in Port Lyautey, Morocco, Africa, as the second of four children. She received her primary and secondary education mostly overseas until her father retired from the U.S. Navy to Dixon, Missouri. Dr. Johnson received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ceramic Engineering, and a Master and Doctorate degree in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology, in Rolla, Missouri, and a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the U.S. Army War College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Johnson has worked in various assignments for the United States Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri since 1987. She worked for the Directorate of Combat Developments from 1987 to 1992, supporting the developmental work of several weapon systems. In 1993, she transferred to the Directorate of Training as the Chief of the Bridging Division, supervising training and education of bridging courses, and in 1995 was assigned as the Chief of Combat Engineering, responsible for developing and executing training and education programs in the areas of mines, countermine, demolitions and bridging. In 1997 Dr. Johnson was assigned as the Engineering and Environmental Division Chief, and in 1999 as the Director of the Department of Instruction, responsible for engineer training and education. In 2003 she was assigned as the Director of Environmental Integration, responsible for the integration of environmental programs across doctrine, organizations, training, materiel development, leadership, personnel and facilities. In 2006 Dr. Johnson was selected to attend the U.S. Army War College and following graduation in July 2007 served as the Director of Program Management and Integration, responsible for program and resource management, quality assurance, knowledge management, and joint, interagency and international programs.
In March 2008 Dr. Johnson was selected as the MSCoE Deputy to the CG, where she is the senior executive to the CG of Fort Leonard Wood, responsible for directing a post with 13,500 employees and a daytime population of 33,000, and the training and education of approximately 88,000 students annually; with three major schools (US Army Engineer School, US Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School, US Army Military Police School); the Non-commissioned Officer Academy; 8 major Commands/Organizations on post (Forces Command, Medical Command, Army Materiel Command, Network Enterprise Command, Installation Management Command, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Army Reserves, and the US Army National Guard); leads Capability Development requirements determination and prioritizing of science and technology research initiatives; and provides oversight of the installation infrastructure and sustainability development.
Dr. Johnson's awards include the Superior Civilian Award, the Commander's Award for Civilian Service, the Army Engineer Association Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal, and performance awards and letters of commendation.
Dr. Johnson is married to Bill Johnson, a civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at the Fort Leonard Wood office. The Johnsons have two children, Rachelle (27), a kindergarten teacher at East Elementary, Waynesville, Missouri, and Austin (25), an engineering student at Missouri S&T.
Living her life for God and spending time with her family are her greatest joy. The Johnsons live on a farm near Dixon where Dr. Johnson spends time working on her flower gardens - or more accurately - pulling weeds.
