by Caroline Nimocks
Johnathon Boyce
Johnathon Boyce is 27 years old. He grew up in Texarkana, TX, where he graduated from high school in 2005. Right after high school, Boyce joined the armed forces. Enlisting seemed to be an escape from an unpleasant childhood. Boyce saw the direction his life was headed, and decided he did not want to continue down the road he was traveling. The most important things to him at that time were all materialistic. He felt that he needed to place his identity in something other than things that would eventually fade away. Above all, he needed to become a man.
Boyce’s Godmother, who was a recruiter for the military, helped him to enroll when he turned 18. In order to enroll, you have to have a certain score on the ASVAB. This is the military’s required entrance exam. Boyce’s scores were too low to serve in the active duty Army, so he started out in the National Guard.
He entered the military in November 2005. He was flown to his first station in Fort Jackson. This is where he began basic training as a member of the National Guard. Boyce was initially excited about this new experience in his life.
The excitement soon wore off and the training began. Boyce’s experience in basic training was something he felt he needed to make him a stronger individual. Most people get pushed to their breaking points during this time. However, Boyce said this “tough love” is what gave him the drive to push through, “Sometimes I would intentionally mess up just to get yelled at.”
Basic training at Fort Jackson was often a very lonely time for Boyce. When mail call came, he would watch the other men and women get care packages and letters from their loved ones—but he rarely received mail. This fueled his feelings of desolation. After basic training, Boyce was stationed in Fort Lee, V.a. At Fort Lee, he would undergo AIT or Advanced Individual Training. During AIT, Boyce learned how to do his specific job serving in the National Guard.
While at Fort Lee, the militants were allowed to leave the base to go out and have “fun”. This was a very exciting time for Boyce, as it was the first time he was able to experiment with his newfound freedom as an 18 year old. He was able play like a child, while answering to no one but himself.
When Boyce came home from AIT, he came to realize that his pay was not as sufficient as he wanted it to be. He realized that the pay was better if you were in the active duty Army. Therefore, he made the decision to transfer.
Shortly after switching to active duty, Boyce was transferred to Fort Bragg, N.C. The individuals at his active duty station were all like family. “When I got to my duty station, I met new people. Those people become your brothers, your sisters; your skin color doesn’t matter, male or female doesn’t matter. If one of us goes through a hard time, we all go through a hard time.” He said.
While at Fort Bragg, Boyce’s past clouded his vision—causing him to be blinded to the benefits of his commanding officers instructions. “I couldn't see how they were trying to teach me, I thought that they were trying to harm me,” said Boyce.
A man named Sergeant Meadows came to be one of the most influential figures to Boyce during his time at Fort Bragg. Boyce said, “I didn’t even know what he was trying to teach me, until I had already left.” Sergeant Meadows had an impact on Boyce from a mental standpoint—which was what he needed at the time. In an indirect way, Meadows would remind Boyce that that he needed to “stop and reevaluate” himself.
To this day, Meadows keeps in contact with Boyce, checking up on him frequently.
After rejoining the troops, Boyce had regained the ability recognize his emotions. However, he chose not to display any emotional responses to those around him. He felt that was a sign of weakness and that it would interfere with his duties.
He began attending Ouachita Baptist University in the fall of 2013. Boyce said, “I just cared about being able to feel comfortable again, doing something that I love.” Ouachita has been able to provide this for him, while also giving him the academic experience he initially sought.
During his time in the Military, Boyce carried a Bible around in his pocket, but he never read it. He felt that he was unworthy of reading it—like he was unredeemable for the things he had done. At Ouachita, he has been able to come to know God like he never knew him before. “This school saved my life!” said Boyce.
Although everyday is still a challenge, he is glad this is where he ended up.
Photo provided by Johnathon Boyce
Johnathon Boyce is a student at Ouachita Baptist University. He started school at Ouachita in the fall of 2013. Boyce plays Division II football for the Ouachita Tigers. At first glance, Boyce seems like your normal college athlete. However, take a second glance, and you might find that this young man is far from this average façade.
ROAD TO ENLISTMENT: The National Guard
SWITCHING BRANCHES: Active Duty Army
OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
BENEATH THE SURFACE
While in the base’s mental facilities, Boyce had to be monitored. A man named Sergeant Ruiz took watch over him. He presided over his medicine intake and supervised his emotional state.
Boyce was at a loss—unable to free himself of his condition, so he turned to Sergeant Ruiz for guidance. Ruiz saw that Boyce was inoperative on his medication. Therefore, he motivated Boyce subjectively. Boyce began to realize that he was part of a platoon, and that his platoon needed him. One night, he decided he no longer needed his medicine. The next morning he met his platoon for roll call.
During his confinement, Boyce felt very alienated. His situation was not uncommon, and he had seen it happen a number of times. However, it was not something he ever expected to experience. “A person can only take so much,” said Boyce. “Something so simple can break you down, and you would never know it was coming.”
SERGEANT RUIZ
-Johnathon Boyce
"It takes out of you what you didn't even know you had."
His time overseas was undoubtedly trying. There were countless times when he felt conquered by the things going on around him. “There were times when we were just tired, we didn't want to do it anymore. We felt like we were overwhelmed and that we were taking a chance that we didn’t have to take.” Said Boyce.
He felt that the only way a person could truly know what a tour overseas was like, was to experience it first hand. However, being in an environment like that is not something that Boyce would wish upon his worst enemy. He said, “It takes out of you what you didn't even know you had.”
Boyce has had a unique college experience. He began at the University of Pheonix, but his time there was cut short when his mother’s multiple sclerosis began to depreciate at a rapid pace.
At this point, he returned to home to attend Texas A&M at Texarkana. He was there for one semester, when he spoke with a gentleman who discussed with him the possibility of playing football at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, AR. The man told Boyce that his G.I. Bill would pay for his entire tuition at Henderson.
Boyce was exhilarated when he heard this news. He immediately set up an interview with Henderson’s head football coach.
While on a mission, Boyce received a Red Cross message. These messages are used to help families contact their loved ones serving overseas. However, Boyce was confused, because he had been dissociated with his family for quite some time.
After reporting to his commanding officer, Boyce was told that he needed to go home and attend to his family.
Upon returning to the states, he became aware that the Red Cross Message was about his mother. She had multiple sclerosis and was beginning to degenerate. The moment he saw her memory fading away in front of his eyes, his tough exterior faded away. “It was like everything I had learned in the Military just went away.” Said Boyce.
He ended up asking for an extension, so he could spend a little while longer with his mother.
"It was like everything I had learned in the Military just went away."
-Johnathon Boyce
On January 1st, 2010, Boyce stepped foot in his hometown for the first time since November 2005. He had finished his last tour and made it back to Texarkana just in time for his 23rd birthday.
Although he was back home, he continued to have a hard time feeling safe. Knowing that his “battle buddies” no longer surrounded him, Boyce became particularly distressed. At times, he felt less safe in The States than he did when he was overseas. “You never readjust,” said Boyce.
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
The day before he met with Henderson’s football coach, Boyce decided to give Ouachita a call. When he was transferred to the football department, he was able to speak directly with the university’s head coach, Coach Knight. Knight told Boyce that he would be more than welcome to come meet with him in the morning before his meeting with Henderson.
The next morning Boyce met with Coach Knight, then headed over to Henderson State University to meet with their head coach. He wandered around the Henderson trying to find the coach’s office. Once he found it, he was informed that the coach was out on an errand.
He began attending Ouachita Baptist University in the fall of 2013. Boyce said, “I just cared about being able to feel comfortable again, doing something that I love.” Ouachita has been able to provide this for him, while also giving him the academic experience he initially sought.
Not long after he set up this interview, Boyce met a woman in A&M’s student center who spoke with him about a school named Ouachita Baptist University. He had never heard of this school before. She told him about Ouachita’s proximity to Henderson. They discussed Ouachita’s football program, and Boyce became very intrigued.
After a while, he knew it was time to pursue the next step in his life. Boyce decided that college would be his next endeavor. Since he joined the military right out of high school, college seemed like a wise route to take. As well, he wanted to acquire a college degree. However, Boyce’s true desire was to play football again.
Having played in high school, Boyce knew that football was always a positive experience that gave him a true sense of belonging. Even if no one knew his name, they always recognized him by his number. He hoped that going to in college, he would be able to obtain a degree while doing the thing he loved.
Photo provided by Johnathon Boyce
There came a point during his deployment, where Boyce became frigid and emotionally detached. He no longer spoke with his family and he felt that his home was at war. He was emotionless.
This issue eventually became very problematic. He became mentally unstable and was sent to the base’s mental facilities. In this unit, Boyce was heavily medicated and escorted everywhere he went. He was no longer allowed to procure a weapon. Being hospitalized was not something Boyce was proud of and it made him feel worse. He continued to be emotionally distraught and felt physically weakened from the side effects of his medication. “When I finally woke up, I couldn't bare to be outside because the sun hurt my eyes so bad,” said Boyce. “I didn’t even want to get up and go to the restroom because even turning on a light hurt my eyes and it made my head hurt.”
WHEN DUTY CALLS
COLLEGE & FOOTBALL
OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: The decision