The Soldier

Navy first. Then the Army.

Herman’s military life began with eight years of active duty in the United States Navy, followed by a long career across active and reserve positions in the United States Army — Senior Course Manager, Senior Drill Instructor at the 78th Division Leaders Academy, Drill Instructor with the 2nd Brigade, 78th Division (Training).

He led soldiers the way he lived: with discipline, preparation, and care for the people entrusted to him.

First Sergeant, 3/42nd Field Artillery, 79th ARCOM — Bristol, Pennsylvania

Senior Leaders Instructor, 1155th US Army Reserve Forces School — Edison, New Jersey

Operations Sergeant, Emergency Operations Center, Headquarters, First US Army — Fort Meade, Maryland

Operations Sergeant, Headquarters, V Corps Artillery, US Army — Wiesbaden, Germany

★Multiple Meritorious Service Medals, earned as Operations Sergeant at US Army headquarters installations

★Armed Forces Service Medal — Meritorious Award for operations relating to the former Republic of Yugoslavia (Bosnia)

★Good Conduct Medal (awarded twice)

★Army Reserve Components Achievement Award (awarded three times)

★National Defense Service Medal · Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal · Armed Forces Reserve Medal

★Noncommissioned Officer’s Professional Development Ribbon, with four clusters

★Expert Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M16A-1)

VFW Post 2294.

A life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars — Samuel R. Shelton Post 2294 — Herman served as the Post’s Quartermaster for ten years, keeping the books, keeping the post, and keeping faith with the men and women he served beside. To the end of his life he marched, saluted, and showed up — in the red beret, with the flag, for his brothers.