Amazing Alumnus:

Michael Herman, ’73, M.A.L.S

Current life role: Colonel, U.S. Army Reserve, retired Chief United States Probation and Pretrial Services Officer for the Federal Northern District of Indiana

At the age of 57, Herman was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The special units he organized – Sensitive Site Exploitation teams – identified sources of documents, then collected them. Herman and his team often found themselves in hostile situations, even facing combat.

Stateside angel network

“What kept me going over in Afghanistan was the support of my family, friends, and employees at the U.S. Courthouse in Hammond,” Herman says. “I was also blessed with an exceptional bunch of male and female soldiers of all denominations and ethnicities. It was an honor to serve with them.”

Herman has had a long and interesting career track in the Army Reserve. He is a Latin America Foreign Area Officer and a graduate of the prestigious FAO School at the Presidio of Monterey, California. With his highly specialized training, Herman has served as the Reserve Army attaché to both Honduras and Peru. Since 1993 he has been assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Back in the saddle

Though Herman was released from active reserve duty in April 2005, it seems the government is not yet done with him. Herman reported again for duty in October. “At the time of my tenure in Afghanistan, I was advised that I was the oldest officer in theater,” he says. “I realized that I was 30-35 years older than anyone else on my team.” But this is one old soldier who is not planning on fading away anytime soon.