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SPRINGFIELD, IL (05/19/2015)(readMedia)-- Story by Capt. April Hawes, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois. – From the beginning of Col. Michael Haerr's military career, his wife Amy has been by his side. Now, as he transitions into retirement, they are looking forward to one four-letter word: time.
"We're looking forward to being together. She's been a steadfast supporter of my career," said Haerr, of Eureka, Illinois, who will retire from the Illinois Army National Guard May 31. "I sometimes joke the reason we're still together out of 33 years in the military is we've probably only been together for 23 years."
The two met through 4-H in 1981. She just graduated high school and was showing sheep; he just started his senior year of high school and was showing pigs. Soon after in 1982, Haerr decided to enlist in the Army.
"He sort of sprung it on me," Amy said. "But it all turned out good in the end."
The two married in 1985, which was the same year Haerr commissioned through Illinois State University's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Since then he has served in all three components of the U.S. Army: Active Duty, Reserves and the National Guard. He has served with the Illinois Army National Guard since 1991, and became a full-time military technician in 1993.
Their first daughter, Emily, now 27, was born while he was on Active Duty at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Just hours after she was born, Haerr got a call to report at 5 a.m. for a six-week long exercise. Soon after the Haerr family moved back to Illinois, Haerr transitioned to the Illinois Army National Guard and they welcomed their second daughter Katherine, now 24.
"I had a great minister and battalion commander who I sought mentorship from," Haerr said. "They said 'if you don't put your family first, it's not going to be as good as it could be.'"
Family was a common theme for Haerr in 2008 and 2009 when he was assigned as the rear deputy commander of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat team during its historic deployment to Afghanistan with nearly 3,000 Illinois Soldiers. He had just returned from his first Afghanistan deployment in 2007 and said he could personally relate to the 33rd's mission since he just went through it.
"I felt a great passion to pass on the information to them," he said. "It also allowed me to communicate with families. I could explain to them Afghanistan truly is a world away; I could relate to them and speak first-hand to the experience."
It was the largest single Illinois National Guard deployment since World War II. By the end, the 33rd suffered 18 casualties.
"Having lost friends there and being in communication with folks waiting on their loved ones, I knew it was going to be a hard process," he said. "You never know the value of a Soldier until you see them through their parent's eyes. They're a natural treasure."
Haerr deployed again to Afghanistan in 2011. He said it was a unique experience seeing the progress of the Afghanistan National Army and the evolution of U.S. Army leaders. For example, Haerr saw some battalion commanders during his first Afghanistan deployment who were brigade commanders during his second Afghanistan deployment.
Since Haerr first enlisted in 1982, he has served in various positions including two company commands with 1st Battalion, 123rd Infantry Regiment; 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment Battalion Commander and most recently the Illinois Army National Guard's G4, Logistics Management Officer. In addition to his more than 30 years of military service, he has been a full-time military technician for 25 years.
Haerr has also attended a variety of military courses including Air Assault, Airborne and Ranger schools as well as the U.S. Army War College. In addition to his two deployments to Afghanistan, he also deployed to Germany from 2001 to 2002.
"In all the years I worked with Colonel Haerr, I could always count on him as a mentor, peer and friend," said Col. Eric Little of Springfield, Illinois United States Property and Fiscal Officer for the Illinois National Guard. "He has a wealth of institutional knowledge, especially in the world of logistics. His loyalty and dedication to the Illinois National Guard sets the example for future leaders of this organization. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement."
Looking back on his career, Haerr said he accomplished all the goals he set as a young second lieutenant. When he graduated from ROTC he said he wanted to go to Ranger school and earn the rank of colonel. He also said he thought it would be "pretty cool" to earn a Meritorious Service Medal (MSM). He successfully completed Ranger school in 1989, earned the rank of colonel in 2008 and has earned five MSMs.
"I've enjoyed how the military challenges you because it trains you at the same time," he said. "It all makes you better than when you started. I joined the Army to serve my country, learn new skills and pay for college. In the process, I found in the Illinois Army National Guard the ability to do all of those things, serving my community, state, nation and world while balancing commitments to my wife and family."
With retirement on the horizon, Haerr and Amy plan to spend time together while travelling to see their daughters, who both now live out of state. Haerr also admitted he plans to spend some more time in the kitchen.
"I've been telling him for years, 'When you retire, you get to do all the cooking because I'm tired of it,'" Amy said with a laugh.
