Remembering John S. Joyce

I am honored to be a member of Special Forces Association Chapter 78, surrounded by so many heroes. My career has little excitement compared to them.

I was born and raised in Southern California, coming from a military family. My father served in the US Army in Korea, and my Grandfather on my father’s side was a World War I fighter pilot in France and retired at the rank of Colonel. My Grandfather on his mother’s side was a Canadian Army Artillery Commander in World War I.

After college, I was bored with civilian life. Wanting to carry on the family military tradition, I enlisted in the Army at 21 years old in 1984. I wanted to go Special Forces, but at this time they did not take direct enlistments. The recruiter found me an unassigned Airborne slot for radio operator (05B/C) and told me to keep volunteering. After Basic Training, AIT, and Airborne, I found myself assigned to the 2/75th Ranger Battalion at Ft. Lewis, WA.

I did about 5 months at the 2/75th, and then the Special Forces recruiter came a calling. They were reactivating the 1st Special Forces Group on North Ft. Lewis and were looking for Radio Operators, my lucky day. I volunteered for this and was assigned to the Military Intelligence Company, 1st Special Forces Group.

I remember sitting down with my new First Sergeant and having him tell me to relax, to lose my high and tight and get ready to go to schools. I was the 11th person to arrive in this reactivated company and they had nothing to do yet. The next weekend I went TDY to Phoenix, Arizona, to attend a Jump Fest with the SF reserve unit there. We made a lot of Hollywood jumps that day in a perfect desert sky. Special Forces was GREAT!

Then I was sent TDY to Hawaii to attend Air Assault School at Schofield Barracks. That was a fun two weeks in Hawaii. There was no room on base to stay, so we were put up at a beachfront hotel on Waikiki. My first year was a whirlwind of training and schools.

My first real mission was a training FTX in which I inserted with one of 1st Groups new ODA’s as the radio operator to Eastern Washington State, Yakima Valley. We were to infiltrate the 9th ID’s base camp and steal whatever we could. It was winter, and we were dropped into about 2 feet of snow. After a good ruck, we ran

the operation and ended up with the base commander’s coffee cup. This was a nice present for the 1st Group Commander, Colonel Barratto.

We deployed on numerous FTX’s, one to Oregon and one to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Then there were the international FTX’s: Foal Eagle to Korea and Cobra Gold to Thailand. We spent more time in the field than on post.

One of my highlights: I remember going to Ft. Bragg TDY and reading Five Years to Freedom by Nick Rowe on the airplane there and then meeting him a short time later in his office.

I worked numerous positions, Radio Operator, SOT-A Team, Company Training Officer, did some intel work, and I worked for the Company Commander and XO. I made the rank of E-5 Sergeant.

I left 1st Group in 1988, did a short stint with the 12th SFG, and went right into Law Enforcement. I spent 10 years as a Police Officer for the City of Newport Beach, CA. I am now the CEO of a private investigation and security company based in Southern California, operating in California, Nevada, and Arizona.

I am proud to have spent time in the Army and even more proud to be associated with so many great men of Special Forces.

Several years after writing this profile, John founded Excalibur Industries, where he was able to put his passion for creative work to use. It didn’t take long for word of his talent to get around. His designs for challenge coins (including our own chapter coin), plaques, insignia, and other commemorative pieces for military units, veterans’ organizations, and law-enforcement agencies will live on throughout the Special Forces and military communities.

Alongside his professional endeavors, John’s remained committed to serving the Special Forces community. While a member of our chapter, he was a key support for every event and fundraising effort, including three years of the Green Beret Shooters Cup. As a member of the Special Forces Association, he served for many years in leadership roles with SFA Chapter 78 in Southern California, including Director at Large and Treasurer, and later with SFA Chapter 51 in Las Vegas after moving to Nevada.

John often gave freely of his talents as a designer, organizer, and businessman. As mentioned earlier, he was the original editor and graphic designer of the Sentinel; he also designed countless chapter coins and awards and organized the epic 2021 Special Forces Association International Convention in Las Vegas.

But most importantly, John was a great human being. He had a kind, humble, easy-going manner and was always ready to lend a hand—he embodied the term “brother.”

John is survived by his wife, Ozielly Joyce. John was one-of-a-kind and, as such, irreplaceable. His unexpected passing leaves a tremendous void in the Special Forces community and among the many whose lives he touched.

Rest in peace, John. You will be missed.

De Oppresso Liber