Dallas shooter served as enlisted soldier, tour of duty in Afghanistan

The Army said Friday that Micah Xavier Johnson, named as a suspect in the Dallas police shootings, served in the Army Reserve for six years and did a nine-month tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Army released a portion of Johnson’s service record that said he enlisted in March 2009 and served in the Army Reserve until April 2015. After leaving the Army Reserve, he joined the Individual Ready Reserve. The IRR is where former active duty or reserve soldiers aren’t required to train but are kept on Army personnel rolls with the potential of being called to duty. An IRR soldier can volunteer for short tours on active duty.

Johnson was a private first class and at the time he entered the Army gave his home of record as Mesquite, Texas, the Army said.

His military occupational specialty was carpentry and masonry, the Army said.

The Army said Johnson deployed to Afghanistan in November 2013 and returned in July 2014. For that he was given an Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star. He also earned an Army Achievement Medal, an Army Service Ribbon and an Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, among other standard awards for service.