Anaklara Hering, BA ’00

Anaklara Hering, BA ’00, served her country for four years as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. She began her service immediately after graduating and was deployed to the Middle East from January to September 2003. She served both in Kuwait and Iraq. In Iraq, Hering was the second in command of a combat mobile hospital that treated thousands of American and Iraqi patients.

In an article published in the Palm Beach Post on July 4, 2004, Hering documents the difficulties of living and working in Iraq. The heat there is formidable, she noted, and getting used to life out of a backpack was challenging. There were, however, more serious concerns for each of the soldiers. “After I resigned myself to my environment and learned to manage the homesickness, an even deeper vulnerability revealed itself: mortality. Life hung haphazardly by a thread, subject to the winds of chance. We learned to live with our mortality looming over us like thick, summer humidity.”

On July 4, 2003, Hering celebrated Independence Day in Iraq, with other American soldiers. The day was a bittersweet mixture of pride for her country and fear of an attack. Although the celebration was small and each soldier had only one hour off during the day, Hering believes that it was a profound way to experience the holiday. “I was fortunate to celebrate a Fourth of July there [Iraq] that day. Under the sun, under the threat of attack, we saluted the American colors. It was truly humble and genuine. What transpired there speaks more to the American spirit than the most spectacular of fireworks displays.”

Hering’s experiences in Iraq have given her a new appreciation for her life in America, she says, and for being with family and friends. She is grateful to be home in Florida and has begun graduate work at the University of Florida.