REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Serving is something Anner Lynch does simply because her mother, Victoria Gibson, did.
Gibson would take the elderly to church and back home on Sundays. One could always count on her to supply baked goods for her church, Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. She served as an usher for her church for many years, and there was so much more she did for her community.
Serving was something her mother did because that was what one was supposed to do, Lynch said. And for Lynch, it was only right to follow in her mother’s footsteps even though she did not realize she was emulating her.
“I think that giving back is just who I am,” Lynch said. “My mom is my example in life and she used to always give and help others, especially those who are in need. As I navigate through life, if I can help somebody along the way, my life would not be in vain.
“She was just one special lady. Tough lady, but special to her children. She taught us if you want anything in life, you have to work hard for it because no one is going to give it to you. And I always took that to heart.”
Ushering at church in previous ministries, helping neighbors, giving to those who are in need and working behind the scenes are just some of the many things Lynch does in her effort to serve others.
During her years as an Air Force spouse, Lynch served by helping military families as their emergency contact.
“I was helping people with their kids because someone helped me with mine when they were little,” Lynch said. “I was just giving back.”
She has lived in North Carolina, Delaware and Hawaii and overseas in Portugal, Japan and Germany. She loved the experience, Lynch said.
“My husband joined with delayed enlistment in the 11th grade,” Lynch said. “He signed up so he could travel the world. I didn’t really think that it would include me.
“I have traveled all over the world, going to all these different places. I never thought in my life I would live in Hawaii or Germany. My sister and I used to look at TV when we were younger, watching the ‘Don Ho Show’ and ‘Fantasy Island.’ I never thought I would go to all those places, but I’m glad he joined and I’m glad he came back for me so I could experience them with him.”
Lynch’s husband retired after 25 years of military service, and they moved their family to Huntsville in 2010. Lynch said it feels weird being in one place for so long.
“The longest place we had ever lived at before was Dover, Delaware, which was eight years,” Lynch said. “We were just moving, moving, moving. I miss it. I miss traveling, going to see new places and meeting new people.”
With her move to Huntsville, Lynch joined U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in 2011 and has been supporting the command for nearly 13 years.
She started as an administrative assistant in public affairs and became an executive assistant for the deputy to the commander in 2018. In November 2023, she became a protocol specialist, however, Lynch has been helping the command with events for years at the request of USASMDC’s previous protocol chief, Joe Baker, who died in 2021.
“He would come over to the office and ask me to assist in different events that they had, and that’s how it began,” Lynch said.
Lynch said she enjoys working behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly, and that she loves how each event is successful, bringing her fulfillment.
“It’s a lot of work and I enjoy what I do,” Lynch said. “You learn something different every day. And that’s what I like.”
Lynch said USASMDC has become a home away from home over the years.
“I enjoy working with SMDC’s finest,” Lynch said. “I deal with a lot of people throughout the command and have a good relationship with a lot of them. So, I like it. I really do.”
Lynch said she’s amazed at how far she has progressed and how far she has come.
“When I look back and look where I am today, it’s just mind boggling to see how that teenager from Nashville, Tennessee, got married at 19, left home, left all of her friends and family, and went to a country that she knows nothing about,” Lynch said. “It’s amazing to see how I’ve grown not just in my career, but as a Christian, a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter and a friend.”
Looking forward, she said her goal is to live life to the fullest.
“I want to be able to be retired at 62 with my husband,” Lynch said. “I want to continue to serve God, travel the world with my husband, go to see all my old friends that I met throughout our military years, take some more cruises, see my grandson grow up, and be happy.”
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