Page 74 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

Story by brooks clark
Photography by tyler oxendine

ronne and benny Lucas
After meeting at the VA hospital,

realized how much they have in common.

B
ack in 2005, 17-year Army other and didn’t see each other for two they have five adult children, and they

veteran benny Lucas was being months,” says Ronne. In that time, Ronne are always busy. “We travel,” says benny,
treated at the James h. Quillen
moved with a friend to Rockwood and who mentions a recent trip from their

Veterans Administration hospital in took a part-time job at Cracker barrel. home in harriman to Pigeon forge and
Johnson City for post-traumatic stress “one day he walked in,” says Ronne. “I another to visit relatives in Middle Ten-

disorder (PTSd), when he happened said, ‘Well, it’s been awhile.’ he said, nessee. They are active in the American
to catch sight of Ronne Johnstone, also ‘Want to go out for some Chinese food?’ Legion in harriman, where he is a past

an Army vet being treated for PTSd And that’s what we did. We drove to commander and current senior vice com-
after having originally checked in for Chinatown in oak Ridge.”
mander, and she is chaplain.

pneumonia. Says Ronne, “The first day They were married a year and a half
he said to me, ‘Will you marry me?’”
later, on december 4, 2007. “We get MASTER OF TANKOLOgY

during their hospital stay they had along well,” says benny, 66. “We have a benny grew up the oldest of three
classes together. “All the time we were lot in common.”
children on a family farm in Lake City.

in the hospital, he asked me out and he for starters, they both volunteered In 1965, he walked in to the Army
asked me out, and I wouldn’t go out with for the Army at a young age. benny recruiter. “I saw it as a way of getting

him,” says Ronne. “Then, on Christmas
joined up at 17, in december of his ahead in life,” he says. “I wanted to
day, benny was sophomore year at Lake City (Tennes- get away from home, from the little

sitting in the see) high School. he retired as a ser- town. My dad had been in the Army.
lobby of the geant major in 1989, after a career that his friends had been in the Army. So I

hospital when I included two tours in both Korea and wanted to be in the Army, too.”
came down, and Vietnam, a tour in germany, two post- he did his basic training at fort ben-

he said, ‘Let’s go ings at both fort hood and fort Knox ning. “I didn’t know what I’d gotten
out.’ I said, ‘No and one at bowling green, Kentucky. into,” he says. “I’d never been away from

place will be open Ronne enlisted in 1971 right out of home by myself.” he was sent to fort
today.’ he said, ‘A Lebanon (Tennessee) high School and dix, New Jersey, for infantry training,

Chinese restau- served for three years as a transporta- but he mentioned to his commanders
rant will.’ So we tion movement specialist, among other that he had enlisted for armor. “I showed

got a night pass. places, at the Saigon Airport.
them a contract.” his next stop was fort
We had to be back from their Vietnam tours they share Knox, where he learned about tanks. “I

by 10:45 p.m., and their PTSd. “We both have night- learned all the positions, from loader to
we went out and mares,” says Ronne, 60. “And we can’t tank commander to platoon sergeant,” he

got Chinese food.”
deal with silence, because silence is the says. he spent eight weeks at fort ben-
When they got out of the hospital,
precursor to attack.”
ning jump school, then shipped out to

he returned to harriman, and she to And they both have an appreciation for Korea. After a year with the 2nd Infantry
Knoxville, where she had been caring the number 4. “We’ve both been married division near the demilitarized zone and

for an older sister. “We lost track of each
four times,” says benny. between them
a promotion to Specialist 4, he went to

72 cityviewmag.com maRcH aPRiL 2014