Michael Shepherd (NE)

-LTG Shepherd

Lieutenant General Michael Alexander Shepherd ​is a senior Independent States military officer currently acting as the commanding officer of the 7th Army. Shepherd is a native from Kentucky, growing up in the country on the outskirts of the city of Corbin. Shepard attended a nearby school and went on to study at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, majoring in military tactics and strategy.

Shepherd has publicly stated that he was neither Republican nor Democrat, and isn't a Conservative (Party) nor Progressive (Party), but independent. He is also known for his attachment to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, his birthplace and home state. Shepherd has been reported to be seen inside of the DERP at Kentucky sport events, as well at veteran and memorial services.

Biography
Shepherd was born May 9th, 1954 in the small town of London, Kentucky where he attended the local London Elementary School. His family moved to Fort Campbell where his father a 101st Airborne Division officer ten years after Shepherd's birth. Michael attended the local high school, where he was a decorated football player and swimmer.

Shepherd has stated that he is Roman Catholic. He graduated from the Fort Campbell High School as part of the 10 top graduating students in 1968. West Point attempted to acquire Shepherd after the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School accepted his application, however, he refused due to his personal distaste of the school.

During his studies at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School, he majored in military strategy and military tactics where he grew found of Sun Tzu's "Art of War". Shepherd graduated at the age of 23, and went on to the United States Army to become a second lieutenant, and served in the Invasion of Grenada, Invasion of Panama, and the Lebanese Civil War. He gained a commanding position during the Gulf War, leading elements of the 101st Airborne Division.

American split
At the time, Shepherd was a Brigadier General, commanding forces in Afghanistan. During that time, he gave a speech on the tensions at home between the secessionists and the federal government. The speech was in response to the high loss of morale his troops were experiencing. While the overall speech was arguably outstanding, one part of his speech stood out and was broadcast over radios, televisions and newspapers all across America and the onlooking world. This quote was among the most notable:

American troops abroad supported the words of Shepherd and his cause to preserve the Union. Shepherd sent countless letters to pro-secession politicians, pleading for them to rethink their course of action. According to some of his coworkers, Shepherd stood strong to his country, and supported the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan under the provisional government in the center of North America.

While on its last leg, the United States was cut down while Shepherd was in combat in the Hindu Kush Mountains, and once returning came to a spirit broken camp, he knew that the homeland was in peril. The Independent States of America had officially annexed the remaining states. Shepherd preceded with a peaceful transaction from the United States to the Independent States, and was provided an Independent States flag to be presented in Kabul and the other American bases in Afghanistan. He was noted for saying "These Independent States boys behaved better than I had initially thought. They came out here to the camp, ceremonially took down the Star Spangled Banner, and gave me the new Independent States flag. I expected them to come barking orders and throwing the Banner on the ground."

Independent States Army general
Shepherd is a well decorated Lieutenant General, known for his brutality during several of the Independent States' wars, with his "war is war" policy towards his enemies and towards his allies. During Operation Save Zimbabwe, Shepherd led shock and awe bombings of the two military bases in the country. Manyame and Gweru hangers and barracks were completly destroyed before the airborne droppings, paving a road for the Independent States military.