He is President & CEO of Beyond The Burn Foundation. His story of combat service to America is one of heroics and of great cost. Wounded in battle in Afghanistan, Johnnie Yellock has since turned that setback into a passion for service, with a little help from President George W. Bush.
Coming from a dual Veteran family, Johnnie enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2007 after completing his undergraduate in Manufacturing Engineering from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX. He was a United States Air Force Special Operations Combat Controller and would serve two combat tours in the Middle East.
In 2011, on Johnnie’s second deployment to Afghanistan, an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle, injuring both of his legs. Johnnie received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Medal for his actions that day. He spent the next three years in rehabilitation and has endured 33 limb-salvage surgeries to date, allowing him to keep both of his legs. During his recovery, Johnnie found that physical pain paled in comparison to the mental, emotional and social traumas that are all too present following such a course-altering event and couldn’t have put himself back together alone. It was the dedication and love of my family and so many friends that ensured my recovery was successful.
Johnnie is dedicated to improving the lives of our Nation’s burn survivors while maximizing the impact of every contribution entrusted to the organization. He serves the Beyond the Burn Foundation Board of Directors and is responsible for strategy and goal setting, personnel management, donor relations, grant writing, fellowship funding, event planning, budgeting, forecasting, and most importantly, facilitating burn care programs and procedures tailored to the specific needs of survivors and their families: Past, Present, and Future.
Johnnie says, “since leaving the military, I’m still committed to serving, only the uniform has changed”.
Today, with a passion for service, corporate and non-profit expertise, love of public speaking and an MBA, Johnnie is humbled to serve fellow veterans, first responders and civilian burn survivors. His goal is to continue the mission, envisioned by Ryan Parrott in 2012, of revolutionizing burn care for all Americans.
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