Former Air Force Satellite Operator Receives Colorado State’s College of Engineering Honor Alumnus Award

Robert Johnson, a former Air Force satellite operator from El Camino Village, Calif., has been selected as the 2006 Honor Alumnus in Colorado State University’s College of Engineering. Johnson will be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award during a special ceremony on Friday, Feb. 17, hosted by the Alumni Association.

Johnson graduated from Colorado State in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He obtained an MBA from the University of Utah.

He spent 21 years in the U.S. Air Force obtaining domestic and international experience in the acquisition, testing, and operation of ground- and space-based command, control, communications and computer information systems. His career included serving as mission director at the Air Force Satellite Control Facility at Onizuka Air Force Base in California where his team was responsible for controlling orbit constellations for two satellite programs of high national priority. He completed his military service in September 1990.

Johnson has organized several events for Colorado State alumni in the Los Angeles area and has served as an alumni ambassador and coordinator for local high schools.

As part of his charitable activities, he is coordinating a search in California and other states for World War I and World War II veterans who served in France so they can apply for the French Legion of Honor Award, as well as other significant awards.

Johnson is an honorary lifetime member of Veterans of World War I of the USA and currently serves as the California state adjutant. He has also served as a crew leader for Habitat for Humanity, vice president and acting president of the El Camino Village Association and commander of the Los Angeles Post 8 of the American Legion.

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