Charissa Clarke
| Charissa Clarke | |
|---|---|
| Secretary for Defence | |
| Assumed office 05 May 2018 | |
| President | Kieran MacKenzie |
| Prime Minister | Suleman Chaher |
| Preceded by | Rafael Mendietez |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 10 September 2010 – 15 May 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Sunita Chambers |
| Succeeded by | office abolished |
| Constituency | South Ecanta |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 2, 1969 Annatown, Lauchenoiria |
| Nationality | Lauchenoirian |
| Political party | Communist Party |
| Mother | Lauren Clarke |
| Father | Ryan Clarke |
| Alma mater | University of Annatown |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Lauchenoiria |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1987-2000 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | Kerlian-Lauchenoirian War |
Charissa Clarke (born August 2nd 1969) is the current Lauchenoirian Secretary of Defence. She is responsible for liaising with Kerlian and Gonhogian forces in the Second Lauchenoirian Civil War.
Clarke also served in the military during the Kerlian-Lauchenoirian War, which took place alongside the Kerlian Civil War after Lauchenoiria backed those rebelling against the government. The conflict took place almost entirely on Kerlian soil.
Clarke's parents were killed in a car crash when Clarke was fourteen years old, and she lived her later teenage years in children's home in Annatown, having no other family. This event has led her to campaign for greater support for orphaned children and for young adults who have had experience of living in care.
Early Life
Clarke was born on the 2nd August 1969 to Lauren and Ryan Clarke in Annatown, Lauchenoiria. The family lived in an isolated house in the countryside, where Clarke was home-educated until the age of fourteen, when her parents were killed in a car crash outside Annatown. She was taken into care by the state, however they found it difficult to place her with foster parents due to her isolated upbringing.
At the age of sixteen, Clarke left the children's home and moved in with a boyfriend. The relationship did not work out, and she spent most of the subsequent few years moving around and working different jobs. At the age of eighteen, she joined the military.
Military Career
In 1987, at the age of eighteen, Clarke joined the Lauchenoirian Army. As the country was not at war at the time, she completed her training seeing no action. She entered into an officer training programme which she completed as the only woman that year.
In 1992, following the outbreak of the Kerlian Civil War, Lauchenoiria offered military aid to the insurgent Democratic Kerlian State, and Clarke was sent overseas. She remained in Kerlile until 1997, when Lauchenoiria withdrew their forces.
She was honourably discharged in 2000.
University
After leaving the military, Clarke returned to the town of her birth to attend the University of Annatown, initially to study chemistry. After one year, she decided to switch her degree to political science, repeating her first year.
During her time at university, she was an active member of the Communist Society, and joined the Communist Party of Lauchenoiria. She was also President of the Mature Students Society in her last three years at university, and ran a campaign encouraging people who wished a career change to return to university.
She graduated in 2005 with a First Class degree in Political Science.
Political Career
Director of Campaigns
After graduation, Clarke was employed by the Communist Party as their Director of Campaigns in the run up to the 2006 election. The party was behind in the polls for the first time since before the Lauchenoirian Communist Revolution, and some have credited Clarke with managing to turn it around and secure the party victory in that election.