130 Years of Family Serving Family: Paz Johnson, Fort Stewart
One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 130 years of family serving family
Who she is: Paz Johnson, Fort Stewart food court manager
Years at the Exchange: 30 years. Johnson joined the Exchange in 1992 after moving from the Philippines to join her sister, who married an Airman, at Goodfellow Air Force Base.
“She was homesick, so I said I’ll come visit,” she said. “I was keeping busy, helping them out, cleaning the house and cooking. Then after that, I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll get a job,’ and all of a sudden, I’m getting a job.”
Her Exchange career: Johnson started as an intermittent food service worker at Burger King at Goodfellow. Since then, she has served as a senior assistant, junior manager and foreman at Burger King. Her career has taken her from Goodfellow to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Fort Wainwright and Fort Sill before Fort Stewart.
Military connections: Johnson’s partner is a retired Soldier, who retired after 20 years as a staff sergeant. Her brother-in-law served in the Air Force.
Sisters together: Johnson’s sister was already employed with the Exchange when she started. The two were able to work together for a brief time.
“My sister and I used to work at Burger King together. She eventually found another job, which was really sad for me. She would run the front, I’d run the drive-thru. We’d arrive together at the same time. During that time, she didn’t know how to drive so we used to ride a bicycle together to work.”
Her sister and family were later stationed at Hickam, where Johnson was reunited with her sister.
“I was a manager then,” she said. “She was applying for another job. I didn’t work with her, but her house was just across the street from Burger King, so she would bring me lunch – Filipino food. She’d always ask, ‘What time you going on break?’ I’ll be right there!’ That was a great time and it was a blessing for me.”
Memorable moments: While at Fort Wainwright, Johnson had an encounter with Alaska’s famous wildlife.
“I will never forget this, but one morning in Alaska, we opened the [Burger King] drive-thru, and there were moose there by the menu board — the mama and her calves. We had a backup in the line because the Soldiers had their morning PT. I went over there and I’m like, ‘Please go away, go away, we have a line.’ Some Soldiers came out to help and I’m like, ‘I got this, I got this.”
Family Serving Family: “I was honored to have the opportunity to take part in serving the military community,” she said. “I will always continue to support them. It’s really nice to see people come to your restaurant or the Exchange because they’re always looking forward to come to our facilities. From my team, I always encourage them to continue their career with the Exchange because we make a difference.”
