Not only does Apone look like Avery Johnson, but he talks like him, smokes a big ol' cigar like him, and he is a Sergeant just like Avery. Not only that, I believe there's a scene from the Halo Anniversary game where Sergeant Johnson says Apone's line from Aliens:
Aliens has been influential in so many ways. Thanks for mentioning that comparison. That's totally where they got that character. I'm gonna tell my friend tomorrow all about that 'cause he's always using that Apone line.