Army Spc. Johnson was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Division Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. He died in Baghdad after emergency appendectomy surgery - he likely died of complications from the surgery. He was able to spend the last few minutes of his life talking with his mother - he suffered a heart attack during that last conversation and died moments later. Geoff's family moved to Lubbock, Texas in 1985 and he graduated from Coronado High School in 1998. After graduating from South Plains College School of Vocational Nursing, he joined the Army. In November 2007, he deployed to Iraq where he was a terrain data specialist who worked in geospatial intelligence. He helped commanders understand unknown areas into which they would lead troops. But Geoff wanted to do more than sit behind a desk and would volunteer for special patrols – patrols that would go out and help identify the enemy. His commander spoke of Geoff being one of the best soldiers he had ever worked with and when a job had to be done right and quickly, he could always depend on "the Golden Boy" to get ‘er done. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (Posthumous), the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and multiple personal commendations from his military commanders. He was honored after his death with the Bronze Star for his meritorious service. Geoff was a loving husband to Amy, and a terrific dad to his four children. He read to his kids every night when he was home, so before leaving for Iraq he recorded hours of video of him reading books for his children. Even though he is gone, his children still fall asleep to their father reading to them.