Retired Lt. Col. Alan Johnson Recounts 2020 Iranian Missile Attack on Al-Assad Base

The January 2020 Missile Attack

• 🎯 Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Americans in January 2020, following the U.S. killing of Iran's top general.
• 💡 Retired Lt. Col. Alan Johnson was at the Al-Assad base in Iraq, the intended target, and recorded a message for his son, fearing he might not survive.
• ⚠️ Intelligence indicated a high likelihood of not surviving the attack due to the number of missiles incoming.

Experience and Aftermath

• 💥 The base sustained 11 medium-range ballistic missiles, each carrying nearly 2,000 lbs of high explosive ordinance.
• 🤕 Johnson and his troops experienced the percussive force of explosions as close as 60 feet away, narrowly escaping death.
• 🧠 Many soldiers, including Johnson, suffered from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and PTSD in the aftermath, with symptoms worsening over time.

Lessons Learned and Force Protection

• 📈 Johnson believes force protection at military bases is significantly improved since 2020, enhancing survivability.
• 🚀 The Al-Assad attack is likely used as a model for anticipating and improving responses to future attacks.
• 🛠️ Improvements in air defense and readiness protocols are expected to have been implemented.

Addressing Casualties and TBI

• 🎖️ Initially, no one wanted to be evacuated for medical reasons, leading to a lack of reported casualties.
• 📈 Over hours and days, soldiers came forward with symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury, revealing the scale of the event.
• 📚 Johnson has contributed to research papers on post-concussive care and helped develop a rapid readiness screening tool for TBI on the battlefield.