thedrifter
08-20-04, 05:24 AM
48 years later, barbershop duo continues to keep Marines looking sharp
Submitted by: MCRD Parris Island
Story Identification #: 20048199560
Story by Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND. S.C. (Aug. 20, 2004) -- The haircut a Marine gets can vary only within the realm of zero to three inches in length, which is the limit set by the Marine Corps. This happens to be the area in which Stewart Johnson and Melvin Cooler have spent the last 48 years of their lives.
In 1956, Stewart Johnson came to Parris Island, not to undertake recruit training, but to cut hair. Fresh out of trade school, he came to the Depot to begin his career and has not looked back. In most cases that fact may seem to be a rarity, however in this case, it is not. Johnson is not alone in his aspirations to trim the follicles of Marines. Melvin
Cooler, a Main Side Barbershop barber, arrived on the Depot after Johnson.
Over the years, Johnson and Cooler have become quite popular among the personnel aboard the Depot. Some patrons will not go to anyone else, they will sit and patiently wait their turn to get a fresh cut by their favorite barber.
Johnson's popularity has exceeded Cooler's in only the nicknames he has acquired over the years. When Johnson worked at the receiving building, there were drill instructors who were fond enough of him to give him nicknames. During the many nights that he cut hair at receiving, his fame began, and led to what he called, "World Famous."
Johnson said that most of the Marines know him as, "John the Barber," but they do not know his real name. When they come to check in for Drill Instructor School, they know before they get here who he is. They come from as far as Okinawa, Japan, and they know his name and where he works.
"Before they called me anything, they used to call me duty barber," said Johnson. "When they found out I didn't like it so well, they would tell the recruits to do it. They would say, 'corporal of the guard, the barber's on deck.' Or they would say 'Big Barber' on deck or 'John D' on deck, then the corporal of the guard would go and get the sergeant of the guard and they would get a whole platoon to say, 'Duty barber on deck sir.'"
While Cooler may not have acquired the nicknames that have followed Johnson around, he does have nearly the same amount of time on Depot.
"Johnson got here about three months before I did," he said. "He got here in the summer of '56, and I got here on August 17 of that year, but we are close, very close."
When speaking about his time here, he recalled 3rd RTBn. being built and how it was the only brick building aboard the Depot or how the Ribbon Creek incident happened only months before he arrived. But, if time has had any affect other than showing a little age, Cooler has not let it show.
"What am I going to do if I completely retire," said Cooler, whose 48th year cutting hair at Parris Island was Tuesday. "As long as we can move, we are going to work."
In a display of resilience, Cooler admitted he is not going to quit until he gets old.
"I might get another name if I stay long enough," said Johnson, agreeing with Cooler's desire to stay as long as he can. "Some of these guys, they just give me names and I just go along with it, you know. I started in the main barbershop, and I cut there for maybe three or four years. I went from the main shop to weapons battalion, and I worked there for maybe two or three years, I don't really know. Then I worked at the general's building."
Johnson has worked at Barrow Hall ever since, and continues to work shifts at the Drill Instructors School and at the WFTBn. Barbershop.
Johnson said that he relishes the opportunity to give quality haircuts that people can rely on.
"I think that it is important and it is an opportunity for me to be able to do that for them," said Johnson. "I am here to prove that I can do it. The way this works is that the guy I replaced ... retired years ago. Now I do the general's hair. The new general who just checked in, [I just cut his hair the other day]."
Not only does Johnson cut hair for Depot personnel, he also adds a bit of flair in their day. He said that the new commanding general gave him a nice impression and he hoped that the feeling was reciprocated.
Master Sgt. Gary McClelland, Prior Service Recruiting operations chief, has been coming to Johnson at Barrow Hall since last September for his weekly trim and he thinks highly of the veteran barber.
"Ole' John is a wealth of knowledge," said McClelland, referring to Johnson in one his many nicknames.
Not only can a person get a good haircut, but he can get good conversation and that is something to look forward too, said McClelland.
"My thing is that I like cutting hair ... I like to do it. I do the recruits the same way I do [the officers,] I give them a good hair cut," said Johnson. "I take pride in all of my work, and I take pride in all of the Marines from a private all the way up to a general. I do appreciate the opportunity that they let me go over there and do that for them. They seem to like it and I like it."
That pride and enthusiasm for the job has carried his spirit over the years and has translated well into his performance, according to his regular clients.
"Reliability," said McClelland. "I like the idea that I can come here, get a haircut and it will look good because he does a good job, and it's convenient."
Really, it is easy to give a good haircut, said Cooler.
"And it is very important, because you want the Marines to look good," he concluded.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200481910515/$file/Barber1(L).jpg
Stewart Johnson, also known as 'John D,' gives Master Sgt. Gary McClelland, Prior Service Recruiting operations chief, a hair cut at the Barrow Hall Barbershop Monday. Johnson is one of two barbers who have been cutting hair on Parris Island for more than 48 years.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004819121020/$file/Barber2(L).jpg
Melvin Cooler cuts hair at the Main Side Barbershop Monday. Cooler and Johnson have been contributing to the fresh cuts of Marines aboard the Depot for just under half a century.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/12943CF66D42705585256EF5004C89CA?opendocument
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie
Submitted by: MCRD Parris Island
Story Identification #: 20048199560
Story by Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND. S.C. (Aug. 20, 2004) -- The haircut a Marine gets can vary only within the realm of zero to three inches in length, which is the limit set by the Marine Corps. This happens to be the area in which Stewart Johnson and Melvin Cooler have spent the last 48 years of their lives.
In 1956, Stewart Johnson came to Parris Island, not to undertake recruit training, but to cut hair. Fresh out of trade school, he came to the Depot to begin his career and has not looked back. In most cases that fact may seem to be a rarity, however in this case, it is not. Johnson is not alone in his aspirations to trim the follicles of Marines. Melvin
Cooler, a Main Side Barbershop barber, arrived on the Depot after Johnson.
Over the years, Johnson and Cooler have become quite popular among the personnel aboard the Depot. Some patrons will not go to anyone else, they will sit and patiently wait their turn to get a fresh cut by their favorite barber.
Johnson's popularity has exceeded Cooler's in only the nicknames he has acquired over the years. When Johnson worked at the receiving building, there were drill instructors who were fond enough of him to give him nicknames. During the many nights that he cut hair at receiving, his fame began, and led to what he called, "World Famous."
Johnson said that most of the Marines know him as, "John the Barber," but they do not know his real name. When they come to check in for Drill Instructor School, they know before they get here who he is. They come from as far as Okinawa, Japan, and they know his name and where he works.
"Before they called me anything, they used to call me duty barber," said Johnson. "When they found out I didn't like it so well, they would tell the recruits to do it. They would say, 'corporal of the guard, the barber's on deck.' Or they would say 'Big Barber' on deck or 'John D' on deck, then the corporal of the guard would go and get the sergeant of the guard and they would get a whole platoon to say, 'Duty barber on deck sir.'"
While Cooler may not have acquired the nicknames that have followed Johnson around, he does have nearly the same amount of time on Depot.
"Johnson got here about three months before I did," he said. "He got here in the summer of '56, and I got here on August 17 of that year, but we are close, very close."
When speaking about his time here, he recalled 3rd RTBn. being built and how it was the only brick building aboard the Depot or how the Ribbon Creek incident happened only months before he arrived. But, if time has had any affect other than showing a little age, Cooler has not let it show.
"What am I going to do if I completely retire," said Cooler, whose 48th year cutting hair at Parris Island was Tuesday. "As long as we can move, we are going to work."
In a display of resilience, Cooler admitted he is not going to quit until he gets old.
"I might get another name if I stay long enough," said Johnson, agreeing with Cooler's desire to stay as long as he can. "Some of these guys, they just give me names and I just go along with it, you know. I started in the main barbershop, and I cut there for maybe three or four years. I went from the main shop to weapons battalion, and I worked there for maybe two or three years, I don't really know. Then I worked at the general's building."
Johnson has worked at Barrow Hall ever since, and continues to work shifts at the Drill Instructors School and at the WFTBn. Barbershop.
Johnson said that he relishes the opportunity to give quality haircuts that people can rely on.
"I think that it is important and it is an opportunity for me to be able to do that for them," said Johnson. "I am here to prove that I can do it. The way this works is that the guy I replaced ... retired years ago. Now I do the general's hair. The new general who just checked in, [I just cut his hair the other day]."
Not only does Johnson cut hair for Depot personnel, he also adds a bit of flair in their day. He said that the new commanding general gave him a nice impression and he hoped that the feeling was reciprocated.
Master Sgt. Gary McClelland, Prior Service Recruiting operations chief, has been coming to Johnson at Barrow Hall since last September for his weekly trim and he thinks highly of the veteran barber.
"Ole' John is a wealth of knowledge," said McClelland, referring to Johnson in one his many nicknames.
Not only can a person get a good haircut, but he can get good conversation and that is something to look forward too, said McClelland.
"My thing is that I like cutting hair ... I like to do it. I do the recruits the same way I do [the officers,] I give them a good hair cut," said Johnson. "I take pride in all of my work, and I take pride in all of the Marines from a private all the way up to a general. I do appreciate the opportunity that they let me go over there and do that for them. They seem to like it and I like it."
That pride and enthusiasm for the job has carried his spirit over the years and has translated well into his performance, according to his regular clients.
"Reliability," said McClelland. "I like the idea that I can come here, get a haircut and it will look good because he does a good job, and it's convenient."
Really, it is easy to give a good haircut, said Cooler.
"And it is very important, because you want the Marines to look good," he concluded.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/200481910515/$file/Barber1(L).jpg
Stewart Johnson, also known as 'John D,' gives Master Sgt. Gary McClelland, Prior Service Recruiting operations chief, a hair cut at the Barrow Hall Barbershop Monday. Johnson is one of two barbers who have been cutting hair on Parris Island for more than 48 years.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004819121020/$file/Barber2(L).jpg
Melvin Cooler cuts hair at the Main Side Barbershop Monday. Cooler and Johnson have been contributing to the fresh cuts of Marines aboard the Depot for just under half a century.
Photo by: Lance Cpl. Brian Kester
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/12943CF66D42705585256EF5004C89CA?opendocument
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie