foreignnations.org online interview with
United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Justin Harding

November 16, 2007

Here are the questions and after the story of
United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Justin Harding

Dear Wolfgang,

I will do my best to answer based on my experiences with Heavenly Father and my tours to Iraq.

I was born in Princeton, New Jersey in the autumn of 1969 (Sept) and attended elementary, middle, and high school in Princeton. It is a famous University town but, I never attended the University. I was a townie - a local; we resented the wealthy students who came to our hometown.

My first job was a paper boy at 12, my friends and I would shovel snow and cut grass to make extra money, I also was an attendant at a public tennis courts for two years, and I worked very hard as a bus boy at a popular restaurant (17) and in an Italian Deli during high school (18). I then left for college in Poughkeepsie, New York at a Catholic college, Marist. It was here I met a professor, Thomas Walsh, who was teaching Ethics at the college and he introduced or planted the seed of the Divine Principle in me. Almost a year later I joined the Movement as a member of National CARP under Hyo Jin Nim and Dr. Seuk in 1989. I graduated high school in 1987.

In 1988 as I was a hippy youth I went on a tour to follow the Grateful Dead across America the summer off after my first year of college. I experimented with a very strong drug LSD and wound up in a hospital with a fried brain. The doctors told me I would never finish college and most likely would have to live with my parents due to my diminished mental capacity - my short term memory was destroyed and I couldn't read or write.

My Father, who attained a PhD in Chemistry from London College and my Mother, a Nurse with a Masters, were besides themselves. My little brother Jason also was at a loss. Eventually the decided to send me to England to live with my Father's sister to get me away from the bad influence of my hippy friends.

There my Aunt and Uncle who were missionaries in Uganda - both converted at a Billy Graham convention two decades ago - sat me down and asked if I had ever prayed. I only was a Christmas - Easter sort of Methodist even though I attended confirmation classes. They prayed with me. A white light hit my mind (sort of like an image of a light bulb if you stare at one and then close your eyes). Then a warm sensation of pins and needles covered my body. My mental capacities were restored in an instant and I knew God and Jesus were real - all those stories just jumped out at me - so I was born again.

My family was not happy. My Father felt the drugs had caused bad delusions and his sister had now caused good delusions. My Mother accepted my conversion but, hadn't the zeal I did and was a little shy of my efforts to witness to my brother and father - it made for another set of problems.

I would study the Bible and pray for hours. One day in prayer Jesus revealed himself to me and asked me if God was to sacrifice your soul in hell for all the other souls to be released would you do it. I was scared and said "No Way!" Then a week later He came again and I replied the same answer. Jesus visited me a month later. In between that time I was going nuts with prayer and thought and came to the conclusion that if God exchanged me He must have a plan for me. So I accepted. The next day I met an MFT (Mobile Fundraising Team) group in my hometown and just jumped in the van and went to 2, 7, 21, and 40 day seminars out in California. This made so many problems for the Church - accused of kidnapping and brainwashing.

So in 1989 I became a dedicated member in CARP at the age of 20 with much controversy and persecution: True Parents and Lord Heun Jin Nim had claimed me through Jesus and my Christian Ancestral merits. My second re-birth.

My favourite part of the Principle was Christology and Jesus’ mission. The failure of John the Baptist was so black and white to me. I used to wear a golden cross. When I heard this content for the first time. I stopped the lecture and ran into the kitchen at the center grabbed a knife and cut my cross off. Then I ran out into the woods and buried it! This part of Principle I would explain to my Christian friends and to my surprise the Spirit didn't hit them as it did me - they were too intellectual and spiritually dead at that point in my opinion. This shocked me but, validated Father's teachings and what happened to him in Korea.

My family is an upper Middle class home town type with a British Father and American Mother. We had Native American roots which seemed to posses my little brother Jason and the Christian Ancestors seemed to possess me. My parents who are very scientific and traditional suffered greatly at our mystic paths of life. They always loved us though although we had bitter arguments that split our family.

I was blessed in 1992 to Yuriko Tahara (one year older than I) at the Seoul, Olympic Stadium as part of the 30,000 couples Holy Wine and Blessing ceremony. This shocked my family. My Mother fearing Rev. Moon's illegal immigration wedding business told me under no circumstances should I accept a Korean or Japanese country girl. That's exactly what Yuriko is! This led to us loosing touch for two years. Finally on the inauguration of the Women's Federation for World Peace my Mother came and reconciled with Yuriko giving three presents, family heirlooms, from my Great Grandmother, my Grandmother, and from herself. What an amazing event.

However, My Mother told me if Rev. Moon is the Messiah there is something seriously wrong with Heaven and when she dies she is going to bring her broom and clean it up! Sadly, 21 days later she died of a massive heart attack while sleeping at home. This event shook our family but, brought my Father, My Brother, Yuriko and I together. My Father refused to open presents and cards Yuriko had sent to him for over two years - my Mother's Ascension changed all this and our family was united.

I continued my attendance to God and True Parents. I was very spiritually open. As a Christian I was able to pray and lay hands on people to heal them. I would remove head aches etc. Later I had to pay for these "miracles" as they first served as a token of faith. I abused this, in my opinion, and incurred a debt.

My Church life I started as a fund raiser for three years on National MFT. I then moved to Boston CARP and became a student trying to finish my studies and witness. This is when I was blessed. I had two choices: go to the first Chung Pyung Seminar or attend the University of Bridgeport. I chose to pioneer CARP at UB - I loved to teach Principle and thought it would be better to complete my studies at a Heavenly institution.

Jin Hun Nim had taken the helm of the Sec Gen and CARP. I worked with him on the PLA tours, the World CARP Academy, we had two children, I won the Presidency of the Student Body, and managed to work as a security guard at nights and finish my studies. At this time UB was not so heavenly.

I had reached burn out with so much responsibility; two children, a wife, a CARP leader, a student leader - I fell into a very intellectual hollow life with God. I felt a huge void and ultimately gave up. It is impossible to lead Sec Gen and young brothers and sisters who were students without God. I crashed spiritually.

I was fed up with Church life. I had a very external view of it. I was mad that I was called a Western member, I was mad at the Japanese Church and I simply could not understand the Korean Sec Gen who were so wild - some smoking and drinking at Father's school. There was a rift between the Church and CARP: I wanted to unite everyone via the University but, all Unificationists seemed so entrenched in their own camps. I decided it was time for me to go out on my own - I had trained enough in the Church.

My late relatives were in World War 2. In fact, my British relatives and Japanese relatives fought against each other at Bataan and Correigidor. This wasn't really apparent at the time. I decided I would go down to the bottom of bottoms - the United States Marine Corps. Their motto is "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful) and „God, Corps, and Country ".

I would serve God in the United States Marine Corps. I would become the first Unificationists Marine and not fall and leave the Movement! I will be successful. I must add Wolfgang - I am not a Soldier in the Army, I am not a Sailor in the Navy, I am not an Airman in the Air force. I
really wanted to move away from all the church centers, the strict CARP Heavenly Chain of Command - so in July of 1998 after graduating with honors from the University of Bridgeport with a BA in Literature and Civilization Minor in Education - Magna Cum Laude. I volunteered to be sent to Paris Island. This is the infamous island were civilian men are transformed into Marines. Not everyone in my starting class earned the title of United States Marine.

Our boot camp is 13 weeks long, the Army 8, Navy 8, and Air Force 8.

I joined the United States Marine Corps. We hate being called Soldiers because Soldiers have so much money and new gear. The Marines have a higher standard of fighting, physical fitness, and we have the Armed Forces left over gear - one example after a wreck in Iraq in my humvee on my first tour there. My tie rod was broken. We repaired it with tape at first and then took metal cleaning rods from our rifles and welding them until - a replacement part could come in. The Army would have dead lined the humvee and got a new one.

My first deployment was on ship to Okinawa and Thailand to part take in a show of force against China when they fired missiles over Taiwan back in 2000. My next deployment was in January to July 2003 for Operation Iraq Freedom One - the invasion and toppling of Saddam's government, I volunteered to go back in August and returned to the States in November.

On our push to Baghdad we were treated as liberators. 1000's of Iraqis would line the streets and chant "Bush! Bush! Good! Saddam is a Donkey!" At the end of 2003 a big mistake was made by Rumsfeld. Colon Powell wanted to change Iraq's Flag, re-hire all the existing Officers and Soldiers and slowly purge out the more evil ones loyal to Saddam. Rumsfeld won the debate and they fired the entire security structure Army, Police etc.
this put 10's of 1000's of military trained men on the streets with no jobs. This is when it gets so messy - one decision often overlooked changed the fate of Iraq.

So many splintered factions: Baathists, Republican Guardsman, Soldiers, Secret Police, local police, border guards, and a new twist the religious extremists suppressed came out in force recruiting all these men for their own designs - the Insurgency was born and the British and
Americans who were greeted as Liberators now became occupiers. The real war had just started in 2004. In 2003 my unit engaged in a conventional type of warfare infantry and tanks, urban ambushes, artillery and mortar fires, and hit and run gun battles as the Republican Guard was beaten back. At some point an order was given and we found 1000's of gas masks, chemical suits, uniforms, boots, weapons, and ammunitions all in trenches all abandoned at various strategic cities on our push to Baghdad. The defenders of Iraq just melted into the crowds. We saw 1000's of men with short hair and bare feet walking the roads with a white flag held up high.

My units casualties were light. Out of our of 1200 men three were killed and 12 wounded in the fighting. The second time I returned we sustained no casualties. This was a period in which we were trying to re-set up local governments. My Lieutenant was the default Military Governor of a town of 10,000 Iraqis just outside of As Samawah near Diwiniyah about 70 miles SSE of Baghdad. No insurgency but, no money to implement what was needed because it wasn't a major city.

We did not know that an insurgency was incubating, planning, and training much like the hold out SS diehards who continued to attack Allied forces up to three years after Germany had surrendered. A similar under ground insurgency was slowly taking form and reared its ugly head in Al Anbar Province in 2004 in the following cities Haditha, Quaim, Husabayh, Ramadi, Fallujah, and Hit.

My unit was sent back to Ar Ramadi and we encountered a trained and ghost like enemy that booby trapped buildings, used suicide car bombs; emplaced road side bombs in frozen blocks of ice, dead animals, and even inside side cars of motorcycles parked on the side of the road. They would not fight us head on and when we trapped them in a neighbourhood or against the banks of the Euphrates they fought to the death - at this time the insurgents had the backing of the local sheiks, imams, and the populace.

We also worked out of a base on the edge of town. We had 5 observation posts along the East - West Highway; Route Michigan covering check points 294, 295, 296, and 297 on the Baghdad - Jordan corridor through Al Anbar. Our mission was to provide security for the Governor of Al Anbar, assist the set up of the Provincial Government to have elections and to keep the Main Supply Road open. We accomplish these objectives through some very bitter street fighting. In the end the "Purple Revolution" took place and sowed the seeds for development I would only see later in 2007.

I was a section leader of a 5 Humvee Mobile Assault Platoon. We hunted Al Qaeda daily, we escorted supply convoys, and conducted random check points to keep the enemy off balance.

The most intense day of combat for me was on Oct. 9, 2004. Our sister company Golf had trapped about 20 insurgents in a neighbourhood. As they pushed my unit was to block the northern streets and prevent the escape of the insurgents. We set up our blocking positions and monitored the battle. We were also ready to support with medevacs in case Golf sustained wounded.

A vehicle approached our check point slowly. The men looked nervous as if they weren't expecting us to be there but, they couldn't turn around. We searched their car and found remote control bomb devices, rocket propelled grenades, and Ak 47's and a cell phone. We detained them. As we were doing this a RPG was shot at us. My unit MAP 2 held in place and MAP 5 moved on the shooter. This was a trick to draw the humvees into a road side bomb attack. Suddenly there was a boom and a humvee from MAP 5 was hit. They took no wounded but, the tires were shredded.

We placed the detainees in a troop carrying humvee and then rigged the damaged humvee for tow. We slowly moved back to base through a series of twisting urban streets similar to the movie Black Hawk down.

We had moved about 1 kilometre when the lead vehicle came under machine gun fire from two different directions. Some insurgents managed to slip the blockade or were called from a nearby neighbourhood to wait in ambush for our move with their captured comrades back to base.

My officer called "Contact Right!" I saw the lead vehicle traverse its machine gun firing at a man with a black ski mask and AK-47. My gunner stood up in the turret and turned his gun to the right. Then Boom! Blood and Fire and Shrapnel came pouring through the humvee. A rocket had hit the driver's door. The anti-tank round went like butter through our armor. Private First Class Andrew Halverson, his 20th birthday one day away, was killed instantly as the round went in under his left armpit and out and through his back.

Burnt blood, smoke, hair and bone and flesh were scattered all over the inside of the humvee. I was covered in his blood.

The rocket continued to take off the right calf of my gunner, breaking his arm, and blowing out his eardrums. The Marine behind the driver was set on fire by the heat of the round. And the other security Marine was knocked unconscious. He was lucky - the over pressure knocked him out and he was thrown out of his seat. The armor tip of the rocket continued and cracked the inside of the ballistic glass. It would have hit Sully in the head had he not been knocked out.

Seo my gunner looks down at the dead driver and start screaming "Push! Push! Out of the kill zone. I yelled at him "He's dead man let it go." Meanwhile I had burns to my face and two pieces of shrapnel embedded in my safety goggles and a piece in my cheek.

So now we have a problem. We are cruising at 35 mph with no driver straight at the lead vehicle. Andy's foot is smashed in a death "grip" on the accelerator! I yelled for someone to get the wheel but, the gunner couldn't because of his position, Sully was knocked out, and Belcher was trying to put the fire on his legs out. So I tried to jump up over the radio mount and barely got my hand on the steering wheel and gave it a jerk. We missed the Lieutenants truck but, now we are increasing speed and heading for a 4 way intersection into a cement wall.

Belcher managed to put the fire out on his legs and climbed over the dead Marine. He jerked hard on the wheel. We did a 180 and crashed in the middle of the intersection. I immediately got on the radio and called for a Corpsman to treat the gunner who was bleeding profusely. I then began to grab my dead driver to put him in a body bag. I didn't want the other Marines to see him - it might start a panic. When we picked him up his arm ripped off -blood went spurting everywhere. Once that was done I proceeded to help the gunner.

We moved him out of the truck and then bullets started flying all around us. We were quite in the open. We dropped Seo "Danny Boy" on the blistering hot road. The Corpsman jumped on his lower body to protect his body. I jumped on his upper torso and was face to face with him thinking I am going to get shot in the head or back and this is the last face I am going to see. He looks at me and we start to laugh!

He then says "You guys ripped my trousers!" We laughed more then a gun truck pulled up with an automatic grenade launcher and silenced for good our attackers with a hail of grenades. We then had to get the detainees and wounded out. We rigged the second downed humvee for tow and pushed back to base. A quick reaction force pushed out to cover our move back.

I experienced several other situations like this before my tour was up. In total my Battalion lost 15 men and 200 wounded. My company had the most killed 10 and about 80 wounded - 60 returned to duty the other 20 pushed to the Germany facilities. This was over a typical 7 month rotation for the Marines.

So that's my experience of urban combat in 2004-2005 on my third tour to Iraq.

I did another tour to South East Asia to South Korea, Philippines, Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand in 2006 and our Amphibious Readiness Group was mobilized to fight in the Philippines against the Abu Sayef insurgents associated with Al Qaeda and I was sent into Leyte to help recover bodies from a village that was buried by a mudslide. We provided medical assistance, rebuilt roads, supplied fresh water, and set up temporary camps
for those displaced. We worked together with Taiwanese, Turkish, and UN aid workers for about 10 days - this was most powerful experience to date in the Marines. I realized the powerful goodness we can project from anywhere in the world.

I then volunteered to go back to Ramadi in 2007 much to the protest of my family and friends. Why are you going back to that hell hole? You will die! We didn't have to go but, 200 of my friend extended our tour to return to Ramadi because we had combat experience and we felt we had a job to finish. We established a basic government in 2005 and we went back to protect the young green Marines and finish the job. We knew the danger and we also knew we could help the people there despite the danger.

So in February we went back and after 5 weeks of clearing operations and implementing the new Bush-Petraeus "Surge" strategy to live with the people in small posts in the town with Iraq Soldier and Police we turned the city upside down. It became the most peaceful city in all of Al Anbar. The Sheiks there started a movement called the Al Salwha or "awakening". After 4 years of fighting and death the locals were fed up with the Al Qaeda who claimed to be Holy Warriors but, were really thieves that killed Americans and Iraqis who didn't support there strict Islamic life. The insurgents killed more civilians who didn't conform to their Sharia Law. When the US troops killed civilians we made restitutions and the people could generally see the alarmed faces of the young Marines who pulled the triggers or the inspecting officers at bomb sites. We don't hide or take lightly these matter despite the media myth.

We cleared out the piles of garbage, we trained the police, we established 12 districts with local sheik leaders, and they in turn met with the Provincial government and got many water sewer repair and electrical repair contracts funded. Life improved so much that they held a 5K marathon down route Michigan that was two years ago the epicenter of so many road side bombs, people turned in 100's of bombs, and 1000's of weapons, a youth soccer league sprouted up as a result of the National Teams wins. And most importantly they created a system of checks and balances with their security forces.

The police are local Sunni's and Army are Shiites from Baghdad who watch each other and work together albeit with local versus outsider frustrations. In addition, 1000's of Neighbourhood Watch groups under various sheiks keep an eye on the Police who they see as outsiders to their different tribal associations. This is all monitored by United States Marine Corps or US Marine units who can back them up when they ask for it. We are also allowed to perform operations as we see fit to hit terrorist safe haven or ratlines.

So is there still fighting? Yes but, on a very small scale in Al Anbar. The Al Qaeda was furious. They offered 300$ US for any citizen to place a bomb or shoot US Forces - there were no takers. They then raised the price to 500$ still no takers. Finally, as they always do when they are desperate and want to make a statement they attempt to run suicide trucks into the city to hit the US, Police, and Army posts. In 8 months they ran in 18 that were all stopped at the various checkpoints manned purely by Iraqis. They suffered many casualties and deaths but, the next day the posts were manned by more Iraqis. Where is the mentioned of these brave patriots in the news? All you read about is the ill equipped Iraqi
Security Forces - my ass - they find more safe haven and secret weapon sites then we ever could. Is there any mention of that? No it’s all about the Terrorist successes not the Iraqi Security Force victories. The U.S. and Iraqis only make the paper when we've violated our own laws of war but, when the terrorist strike big we advertise there exploits so much that the popular opinion is that we are losing the war and should pull out. Yes, the battle for Iraq is taxing, costly, challenging but, I assure you we are not losing. Why would I risk my life four times to return to a losing cause? I am not stupid. Then again maybe I am - living for the sake of others isn't the norm in this world even on the family level sadly.

There next big push to hit the city of Ramadi was a fanatic group of 50 Jihadists who came from Iran (trained there) and travelled in trucks covered with hay to Ramadi a journey of some 400 miles.

Upon entering the outskirts of Ramadi local police spotted the trucks and thought they were not regular truckers and attempted to pull them over. The police then called the United States Marine Corps who trailed them via chopper to a marsh land Al Tash along the canals of irrigation ditches by the Euphrates an intense fight that lasted 3 days ensued leaving 2 dead soldiers, 6 wounded soldiers, and 6 wounded Marines with 4 captured insurgents and 42 killed. They never even made it into the city. We found addresses for safe houses they were to link up with in Ramadi and then hit those sleeper cells. It was a disaster for them. Ever here about it in the news? Yet you've heard of numerous car bombs exploding and killing people! Why?

In 8 months of patrolling - I did not fire my personal weapon once. In the first month we had an RPG shot at us, a roadside bomb blow up with no casualties, and we found three roadside bombs. Then next 7 months were combatless. Many Marines were pissed off because they did not earn their Combat Action Ribbon. A Combat Action Ribbon for a Marine is like the Blessing for a Unificationists it validates your training and belief and faith in you have chosen the correct way.

Those are the young green ones who have never had to carry a dead buddy off the battlefield but, I understand their desire. I was green back in 2003.

In this last assignment our infantry Battalion was the first ever in the history of the conflict to deploy 1200 men and had 1200 men return but, one didn't read about that in the papers. We had less casualties than we sustained in OIF I about eight. I am not trying to minimalise their wounds but, it is one way to judge progress no?

I don't understand the question of how do you deal emotionally dealing with being in Iraq? We are Marines we love to go to miserable places. We are grunts it is what 90% of us signed up for. All the hype of PTSD and Army soldiers complaining of this or that - they are not infantry.

It is incredibly tough to digest the death of a human be it Iraqi or American. Especially if it is in a violent manner - a bombing or shooting. Your Original Mind screams that this shouldn't happen. Some United States Marine Corps soldiers and Marines cannot quiet there Original Minds natural shock of seeing death the unnatural and premature Ascension of a person before their time. It is quite shocking. How to deal with that is most likely a better question.

Simply put we joke about it, we laugh about death and it makes it less horrific. In addition, we work out a lot in the gym and spend many hours on the phone or at the internet cafe "talking" to friends and family.

Some Soldiers and Marines are not as mentally tough or don't have a spiritual or religious way about them and premature death just shocks their original mind and they can't cope with it, in my opinion Post Traumatic Stress is the Original Minds' exasperated outrage at something we inherently know is against the normal way of the Universe. The mind reels in horror.

For me I just cry when no one is looking. I pray for the dead and Heavenly Father always comes to comfort me. The most shocking event I experienced was a patrol during 2004. My Platoon Leader was a very good tactician. In stead of taking the main roads that are watched he decided to risk taking the little alleys ways that are not watched by US Forces. This allowed us to patrol up undetected on four men with black ski masks setting in bombs on the sides of the roads. We instantly engaged and killed them all.

Sadly one bullet ricocheted into a taxi full of people. It hit a Mother in the hip and went out splintered and sprayed into her 4 year old daughter. It was a big bullet-50 calibers. The little girl had her leg and arm sliced down to the bone. Her nose was cut down to the skull like
some had tried to slice her nose off. A piece of her skull had been chipped and her ribs took the majority of the round and her intestines were pouring out.

I grabbed a medic and we began to work on her feverishly bandaging the extremities in attempt to get her pressure up. At the same time I held and bandaged her guts. She then stopped breathing and a white foam was coming out of her mouth. Meanwhile, insurgents had rallied and were taking pop shots at the rest of my unit who had locked down this intersection. The insurgent’s car was rigged to blow up so we had to be careful. The wounded mother is lying on the sidewalk screaming in the particularly haunting Middle Eastern high pitched cry as are her other family members making a ghastly intense scene.

We still worked as best we could. The girl was beautiful despite the bloody gashes all over her. The medic got a breathing tube to insert in her airway but, it was too big for adults not kids but, he jammed it in anyway. She took two breaths and I saw the Soul leave her eyes. She had a peaceful expression as if even with all these painful wounds nothing hurt. She died.

The family screamed and pulled their hair and grabbed the girl. We tried to explain she had passed. They ignored us and jumped into another car nearby to drive her to Ramadi Hospital.

I had to say that was the roughest bitter-sweet day. We stopped four Terrorists but, at what cost? I became so angry at the Terrorist - what the hell are you fighting for anyway? I tried to ask this question to many Sunni's but, no one would talk to me. I would get my answers in 2007 on the return tour.

As for the criticism I try to ignore it. Ya know do not cast your pearls before swine. Unfortunately people don't know of the progress. It is an election year. It is cool to stand against War - it is cool to be a Peace Activist and bash those who have to make command decisions for the long term and greater good of all.

It is true we didn't need to invade Iraq. It is true we didn't need to go into Afghanistan but, given to do all over again I wouldn't change our leader’s choices. I don't believe in living in a Peace that is false. At some point the false sovereignties have to be challenged. Sad that this is the way it took place.

Let people dissent - let people argue, let them throw all sorts of statistics and criticize. I have humped my pack 4 times in Iraq I know what is true and what is false about the country. All the intellectuals and political groups who have never humped their pack can talk all they want. As for the Soldiers, the Cindy Sheeans, and Marines who speak out against the War under the tutelage of various political groups it is probably healthy for them.

Does it help us attain Victory? No - but I won't accuse a man who has humped his pack and who speaks out on the War. He has earned his right to say what he wants. He is usually a younger man who doesn't understand the long-term or big picture but, his fight and his pain wasn't long-term. He experienced terror and saw corruption and all manner of evil things that war breeds. He should speak out so he won't go crazy.

As for the arm chair intellectuals I have a quote I will refer to you by John Stuart Mills

"War is an ugly thing but, not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of morals and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by exertions of better men than himself."

I could go on and on but, I respect someone's right to dissent. . as long as it is not a personal attack or puts my brothers in arms walking their post in danger. In the end History will Judge what we did both wrong and right. It has not been an innocent War but, has their ever been one?

The media is a joke - 80% biased for political view Right and Left and the 20% is so mixed up in the 80% of misinformation it is hard for someone who has not served over there to grasp so what can I do but, share my experience is one Province out of 18 in Iraq? In reality there are 18 different battles within the battle for Iraq. It is misleading to label them all the Iraq War. The media should be more specific: Diyala, Al Anbar, Salah Din, Karbala etc - not that anyone would understand that either.

A lot of the Iraqi people hated the United States Marine Corps in Ramadi because they did not interact with the people. They just sat in their tanks and fighting vehicles and shot at anything that seemed out of the ordinary. The Marines got out and met the people and they welcomed us. I was invited to eat or tea on almost every patrol after the initial 5-6 week clear of the city.

International Terrorism is a major threat - militant factions of Islam must be stopped or countered. Their brand of fundamental Islamic Sharia Law has one goal to destroy Israel and America and anyone who associates with them sweet and short. We can wait for them to plan way to "kill infidels" or we can be pro-active not just using force. We have a new concept in fighting insurgents. One methods is kinetic (they shoot - we shoot). The other is non-kinetic we invest into the local communities by living in them, identifying their needs, and fixing them. In the past the military gave this lip service and felt this was a job for NGO's, the UN, and other international relief agencies. Currently we have whole companies assigned to non-kinetic missions.

I do not regret one day I spent away from my family serving the Iraqi people. The Iraqis are amazing and resilient people. It is my honor to serve a long with them and allow them an opportunity to create their version of a free country.

Western people are so anesthetized to death. We hide it, box it up, don't let people see the dead, our cemeteries are tucked away. It is ironic we hide the thing only sure thing that will happen to you in life you will die someday. At one point during OIF 1 I realized I was going to die someday, perhaps in an hour, or a month, or a year or a decade so I just decided I would do my best and if my time came it came. There was no clear reason why certain people got killed - so you just accepted it as part of life. And remembering the fallen Iraqis and my fellow Marines makes me take life that much sincerely to celebrate each day.

I currently volunteered to return to Iraq in May of 2008 to train Iraqi Soldiers but, Mrs. Harding looked me in the eye and told me "American Marines need to be trained too" Meaning that she prefers me not to return and to take a post stateside. God granted her prayer. I received orders to train Marine Officers in June of 2008 and in the mean time will be having surgery on my back which was injured in a roadside bomb attack back in January of 2005.
My current rank is that of Staff Sergeant as of Nov. 1, 2006

I was shocked at my Ambassador for Peace nomination. I prayed about it - how can this be? I realized I am young, in twenty years there won't be many people in America who have experienced the horrors of war and who will be able to speak intelligently for or against future conflicts. War must be utilized as a last resort. I also appreciate True Peace and have a vested interested in defending and expanding it as I have spent three year at War in a foreign land.

While I am on Active Duty it is difficult to speak out - but, I have learned actions even if they are not in the headlines speak louder than words. I will just continue to dedicate myself to my mission. My long-term goal is to organize the Veteran of Foreign Wars Organization to
become active in the Ambassador for Peace Movement. Men and women I find who have experienced war are more motivated to act - not speak.

As for the brothers and sisters in the Unification Movement who criticize my choice I simply ask why? Have I criticized your choice of serving God and True Parents? Have I judged your life of faith? I will never do that. I joined the Marines to serve God and True Parents in my own unique way. I wanted to separate from Satan and build my own financial foundation. I wanted to leave the centers and start to build my own Tribe.

My goal is to serve in the Military for 21 years and "earn" (although that will never be possible) or work hard for God's 3 Blessings like Jacob did in Haran. I have met many Uncle Labans along the way. If I were to Ascend during this time that would be my Judgment if God let me live I knew he would have some sort of plan and with the Ambassador for Peace nomination slowly I am accepting his Love and Forgiveness. I am most likely the most sinful and wicked Blessed member to ever join the movement. I am trying to repent and become a better Heavenly Son; this is the course I have chosen to follow. Support or criticize . . . I am sure they have their reasons.

My heroes besides the obvious my wife and True Parents are some Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice; they are Captain Rapicault, Lieutenant Lynch, Sergeant Bascom, Corporals Baro, Hubbard, Thompson and Ryan, Lance Corporals Clifton and Sean Langley, and Private First Class Andrew Halverson.

Growing up they were Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker and the Road Runner. Later I was inspired by Jimi Hendrix and Water Payton of the Chicago Bears. I lost hope in any men being heroes as I grew older and then met the Movement. True Parents and my parents and wife naturally came to be role models in my life.

The cartoon characters were so funny they laughed at got away with everything. The road runner never got caught. Jimi Hendrix his music is just incredible and Walter Payton's skill on the football field is comparable to fine art. I also remember the American Hockey team, underdogs, winning the gold in the '84 Winter Olympics.

As for True Parents, my wife, and those Marines it is the selfless actions that inspire me . . . . I am striving to be like them.

One last comment about the Battle for Iraq.

We are placed under such great constraints. Before we can employ deadly force, every Marine has to learn this definition:

Deadly Force is that force which a reasonable person understands will cause serious bodily harm and or death once employed, used as a last resort, when all lesser means have failed.

In order for me to shoot a suicide car bomber I must follow these Escalation of Forces before I apply my Rules of Engagement implementing Deadly Force.

At 300 meters I must wave a red flag and flash my humvess headlight at the possible bomber.
At 200 meters must employ a flare at the road in front of the vehicle.
At 100 meters I am authorized to shoot a tracer round to the side of the vehicle.

If they don't stop I am authorized at 75 meters to shoot the engine block and at 50 meters I may shoot to kill the driver.

We follow these rules in 95% of the time in 120 degree heat 24/7 I won't even attempt to explain the Rules of Engagement.

What good is shooting a suicide bomber at 50 meters - they usually have upwards of 100 some 1000 pounds of explosive? My point is despite popular myth about the American Service member being a cowboy (yes there have been mistakes) we do our best to prevent innocents from being killed.

What do you do when a band of 11 insurgents flees into a town in an Afghanistan village that holds their families? Do you drop the bomb or not? Or do you go in and try to take it down even though they might escape. War is Ugly. Do you have the desire to be a leader in this difficult position or a young 22 year old Sergeant on patrol who is confronted with such split second decisions? No? Then don't judge them!

It is my fervent desire that the Middle East Peace Initiative and the Ambassador for Peace and the Universal Peace Federation in partnership with existing governments and agencies continue to eliminate the conditions that give rise to insurgent movements. If we withdrew all our troops today would the insurgents just stop training?

There are no easy answers my friends or solutions. I have dedicated my life to finding them and trying to apply them. Not just reading the headlines in the papers and remark "Oh what a terrible world." I have decided to go into that terrible world and try to good not sit in a center from a far and thing negative thoughts.

Thank you for your attention to this long email Wolfgang.

Sincerely,

Justin Harding