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| Affiliation | Progressive |
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| Name | Thomas Hermann |
| Address | 38 Long Street
Barre, Vermont 05641, United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
March 03, 1979
(45 years)
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| Contributor | RBH |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Dec 14, 2011 07:16pm |
| Tags |
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| Info | Thomas James Hermann , 29 years old, was born and raised in southwest Florida. After high school, he started work at an auto parts chain, where he rose to become store manager .
In March of 2003, Thomas wanted to make a difference in the world and pay tribute to the memory of his father who passed away before Thomas's 18th Birthday. He joined the Army as his father did 43 years earlier. He enlisted as an infantryman. Thomas thought this was the most direct and honorable way to serve his country, his friends, and his fellow citizens.
As a member of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Thomas received his Expert Infantry Badge, the Army Achievement Medal and extensive Stryker certifications.
In August of 2005, Thomas deployed to Iraq. He spent 6 months patrolling the streets of Mosul, where he earned his Combat Infantry Badge and Unit Combat Patch. Thomas and his unit were then reassigned to Rawah, in the Al-Anbar province, for a remaining 6 months. During that time, Thomas logged over 150 missions, earned The Army Commendation Medal, and received his Golden Spurs.
As Thomas and his unit were at the airfield preparing to return to America, they learned that they had been stop-lossed and their tour of duty was extended for an extra four months, which they spent in operations in Bagdad.
Thomas was awarded the Army Good Conduct Medal and is now a member of the Individual Ready Reserves.
While in Iraq, Thomas had an awakening. He realized that his initial support for the war had been informed more by the circumstances of his upbringing than by honest analysis. In Iraq, he realized that there are often more than two sides to any issue, and that we had been sold a bill of goods by an over-reaching administration and a subservient Congress.
Upon his return to Florida, Thomas realized that the changes that he experienced in the war had led him to think differently about civic life as well. He had come to see that everything is connected in the world and that the actions of the United States have a ripple effect on other people. He realizes that he was once partially responsible for some of what is wrong with the world. Thomas saw atrocities in Iraq that he won't forget and the beauty of hope in the eyes of Iraqi children. His duty, as an American Citizen and a human being, is to be well informed and active in this shared world. He knew that he wanted to find a place to live where he could make a difference as an active and concerned citizen. The search for such a home led him to Vermont, and Thomas, along with his wife Kim, Reilly the dog and Xander the cat, moved to Barre in 2008.
Thomas now works as a farm laborer in Waitsfield. He has answered the call to run for Congress because he recognizes that he is in a unique position to call our current Congressman to account for failing to live up to his promises to work to end the war.
Thomas put his life on the line to enforce policies that were not only wrong headed, but illegal as well. He saw first-hand the tragic results of these policies, and he realizes that our current Congressman either doesn't understand, or is unwilling to address the malfeasance and illegal actions by the Bush administration that set these policies into motion.
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