A Camp Pendleton Marine was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to deserting the military by not returning to the Marine Corps after his leave was up.
Lance Cpl. Lance Hering was sentenced to restriction for 60 days, which he has already served. The Marine will also have to forfeit one month of pay, $1166.00.
Hering, with the help of a friend, faked his own death and had no contact with friends or family for nearly two years. In a non-sworn statement Friday, Lance Cpl. Hering said his actions were "irrational and careless."
"I do not regret my decision to leave, given my emotional state at the time," Hering said. He did apologize to his family, friends and the city of Boulder.
Hering's father, Lloyd Hering, gave tearful testimony and said he wished he had noticed his son's post traumatic stress disorder when his son had returned from Iraq in September 2006.
Lloyd Hering reunited with his son at this year's Burning Man Festival, and then again in mid-November in Port Angeles, Washington. Lance Cpl. Hering had already decided he would return to Camp Pendleton and had contacted civilian attorney James Culp and military attorney, Major Munoz. However, Lance Cpl. Hering and his father were first going to see a specialist that deals with post traumatic stress disorder, stationed in Virginia. Instead, Port Angeles police arrested Lance Cpl. Hering at the airport.
