1999,2000, & 2002 Event Speaker:

Brigadier General Dean Elton Johnson - Chaplain Minnesota National Guard, MN Senator

Brigadier General Dean Elton Johnson
United States Army National Guard

Brigadier General Dean Elton Johnson is a 1969 Graduate of Luther College in Decorah Iowa and a 1973 graduate of Luther Theological Seminary.

Johnson entered the Army National Guard on 20 November 1970, and as an ordained Lutheran pastor was sent to Fort Hamilton new York for Military basic Training. After his training he received a commission as an Officer serving as a Chaplain in the MN National Guard.

His service as a Chaplain brought him to Bosnia, Kosovo, and Norway along with locations around the country. He became the State Chaplain for Minnesota.

In 2001 Johnson was selected to attend the Army’s War College in Carlisle Barracks PA. He was one of three MN National Guard Officers selected. His training started on 1 July 2001. The War College was a 2 year correspondence course with two inclusive two-week classroom session.

In May, 2002 Johnson visited Ground Zero with other Chaplains and met with grieving families from the September 11th attacks.

Johnson graduated from the Army War College in June 2002 with a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies and Leadership. After graduation, he was eligible for promotion to Brigadier General.

He was nominated for the rank of Brigadier General in 2002, and was approved for promotion and formally promoted on 1 April 2003.

He was assigned as the special assistant to the Army’s chief of Chaplains. This position put him in charge of over 700 chaplains in the Army National Guard. In June 2005, Johnson served at Dover Air Force Base to receive the bodies of 8 fallen soldiers.

As a civilian, Johnson was a part time pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church, and served as a State Senator.

In August 2006 Johnson retired from the Army National Guard after nearly 37 years.

Johnson speaking at the 1999 Event in Kandiyohi

General Johnson and Jon Lindstrand in 2002.