SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - The sound of gunfire ripped through the fog as Soldiers ducked for cover while everything around them was pelted with bullets. Their commanding officer (CO) was injured and stranded out in the open. The Soldiers were ordered not to break ranks, but one Soldier could not leave his CO in harm's way. Under fire, Sgt. Paul Wehrenburg grabbed his CO by the collar and drug him to a foxhole. The CO recovered from his wounds, but put Wehrenburg on report for not following orders. Eventually, the CO dropped the charges and instead put Wehrenburg in for the Bronze Star.
Maj. Gen. Johnny Ray Miller of Tamms, Illinois, the Assistant Adjutant General-Army, is Wehrenburg's great nephew. It was stories Wehrenburg told that turned Miller toward a future in the military and gave the Illinois Army National Guard one of its storied leaders.
Miller retired Feb. 28 after more than 32 years of service to the Illinois Army National Guard and the Army.
Miller said Wehrenburg, who fought during D-Day and across the European theater earning two purple hearts and the bronze star for valor, inspired him to join the military.
"He had some unbelievable stories," said Miller. "He saw a lot of action during his military service."
Miller enlisted in the Missouri National Guard in 1982 where he attended Wentworth Military Academy in Lexington, Missouri as a simultaneous membership program cadet. Miller joined the Illinois Army National Guard in 1984 after graduating the academy and earning an Associate's in Arts, Liberal Arts. He commissioned through the Early Commissioning Program at the age of 20.
From there Miller moved home to southern Illinois and attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois where he earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree in History, and served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1984-86.¬¬
Miller served on active duty from 1986 to 1989 with 3rd Battalion, 63rd Armor in 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Kitzingen, Germany.
Here he was assigned as a M1/A1 tank platoon leader around the time the Berlin Wall came down during the Cold War.
"We did a lot of partnership with 224th Panzer Battalion of the West German Army," said Miller. "I really gained a lot of respect for our allies, many had families in East and West Germany and it was not unusual for them to relate their family's story about how they made it to the West."
Miller said he valued all he experienced while on active duty, but said he struggled with the everyday lifestyle of the active duty Army.
"I really learned an appreciation for what it is to be a citizen-Soldier," said Miller. "I grew up, and still live, in a small town. I guess I was a little homesick and the thought of moving every few years was something I was not interested in."
Miller returned to the Illinois National Guard in 1994 and commanded Delta Company, 3d Battalion 130th Infantry based in Marion, Illinois.
After his time as a company Commander, Miller said he, along with every American, unknowingly faced the biggest challenge of this generation on Sept. 11, 2001.
"The 9-11 attacks changed how I felt about my service to the National Guard," said Miller. "It changed for me that day and I'm sure others that were in at the time would say the same about their service."
Miller deployed in 2003 as Commander of 3rd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment based in Marion, Illinois, in support of operation Noble Eagle. His battalion guarded Active Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard bases in Illinois and his staff had administrative control of more than 500 Soldiers in five states.
A few years later, in the summer of 2008, Illinois experienced the most significant flooding since 1993.
"I was mobilized for state active duty with 100 Soldiers from various units including the band," said Miller. "One of my fondest memories was seeing the band sandbagging and still finding time to practice their instruments. This experience was an eye opener in how we approached these type of events and led us to streamline how we, as the Illinois National Guard, respond to incidents using a more scalable and cost effective approach."
Miller has been many places and impacted many Soldiers during his career.
"He is a Soldier's commander. He is someone who leads from the front and understands the importance of what we as Soldiers do," said Command Sgt. Maj. Mark W. Bowman of Naperville, State Command Sergeant Major of the Illinois National Guard. "He has always supported Soldiers and non-commissioned officers whole-heartily, for as long as I have known him, and he will be missed in this organization."
Lt. Col. Michael Hough of Petersburg, Illinois, Labor Relations Specialist for the Illinois Army National Guard said Miller's impact didn't stop with Soldiers and NCOs.
"I have learned a lot from him over the years and the things I have learned have changed how I looked at the Army," said Hough. "He is very professional and approachable, and he is a wealth of knowledge."
Hough said he saw how much Miller respected the rank he earned through his willingness to take on more responsibilities.
"Generals in today's Army are very busy, but Miller always made a point to brief us officers when he returned from his trips, deployments or meetings," said Hough. "He always cared enough about us to tell us about the things he learned to make us better officers."
Miller said he has been blessed throughout his years of service and is honored to have reached the rank of major general and position as the Assistant Adjutant General - Army. Miller said he attributes a lot of his knowledge over the years to the noncommissioned officers he has met along the way.
"The NCO is the backbone of the U.S. Army. It makes us the best Army on the planet," said Miller. "I would urge officers and noncommissioned officers to be professional, but to be personable as well. Rapport is a must."
Though Miller credits other servicemembers as being a big part of his career, he said the steadfast support of his family is what got him through tough times.
"My mother has always been my biggest supporter. She has always been there for me," said Miller.
Gloria Miller, Miller's mother said she is proud of how Miller advanced through the ranks.
"As I watched Johnny grow up from a child to a man he has always put his heart and soul into everything he has done and has always achieved his goals," said Gloria. "He always loved the military since he was a child and played Army with his brother and friends."
Despite retirement, Miller said he will be just as busy.
Miller was recently promoted to Site Manager for Dyno Nobel's Wolf Lake, Illinois facility.
"I have been there for 25 years and have worked my way through the ranks within that organization as well," he said. "I won't be completely retired, but will have more time to focus on my role and hopefully get some time to enjoy weekends and hobbies."
Miller said he plans to stay connected with those he has met throughout his career including those from his old battalion in Germany.
"I have reconnected with several members of my old battalion via social media, especially my platoon sergeant Bob Sheetz, who is retired and lives in Germany," said Miller. "I plan on visiting him in the near future."
Miller said his time with the International Security Assistance Forces A3 Team in 2009 was amazing, and he kept a diary of the team's accomplishments in Afghanistan and wants to publish it and talk about everything his team did.
"I have certainly faced challenges during my career, but when I look at this career as a whole I have no regrets," said Miller. "I wouldn't give up one minute of it."
