Blog-ah: Q&A with David Hardt

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By Hilary Maynard

David Hardt was leading a quiet life as a basketball coach in California’s San Bernardino Valley when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks claimed roughly 3,000 lives. Six years later, Hardt is a specialist in the U.S. Army. He is stationed at Fort Lewis and has spent a total of 25 months — the majority of his military career — deployed. Recently back from his second tour in Iraq, Hardt is opening up about his experiences, his military future, and his motivation for writing it all down for The Ranger during his last 15 months of service.

Tell us about yourself and your family. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school? What made you decide to join the military?

My name is David Bruce Hardt; I am 31 years old. I grew up in San Bernardino, California — Highland to be exact. I am the son of a preacher, and I learned a great deal about politics and pushing the envelope from my dad.

He always said, “If you don’t say anything provocative, no one will know, and when you do say something provocative, be prepared for consequences. It’s those who face opposition and tread in the stormy waters and unpredictable moments that become leaders of strength and example. A leader without trial is unlearned and only as smart as the book in front of him.”

I went to school at San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino. I was active in sports, which motivated me to travel to Belgium to play basketball and go to college. After some good times in college and traveling around, I found myself coaching basketball at Redland High School and, later, ending my coaching career at Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley. I was a 9/11 recruit, so my reasons for joining the military centered on family, country and pride. It wasn’t long after I made my way into the real Army that my fight for preservation started.

What is your role in the Army? Who are your leaders and fellow soldiers? How many times have you been deployed and for how long?

I am a specialist; I am in 3rd brigade, 2nd Infantry Division — C Co, 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry, a proud member of the 2nd Platoon Reapers, lead strongly and efficiently by Platoon Sergeant Sgt 1st Class Evans and Platoon Leader 2nd Lt. Harnesberger. I have been deployed twice, both with 5-20. All together I have been deployed 25 months. I have spent the majority of my military career deployed.

It must be frightening to be in Iraq, but did you experience any good times?

I think the best experience I had while deployed was just bonding with the children and building trust with them. We’re hoping to have that effect for years to come.

Did you lose any friends while deployed? What was your most defining moment?

During my first deployment, we were in Tal Afar as well as conducting combat operations across Iraq. On my first patrol, I learned really quickly how dangerous fighting on the front line was. Our platoon was ambushed outside our base. I was blown off my feet by an explosion and ended up with shrapnel in my arm and finger. To this day, when it’s cold, I can still feel it. It’s a quick and sometimes painful reminder of what can happen at any second in Iraq.

One of the saddest moments on my second deployment was the death of Capt. Drew Jensen, who was my platoon leader on my first deployment. He is someone I looked up to because of the way he led by example and his dedication to his men and fighting for them on all levels.

What is your take on the war in Iraq? Does the military allow you to express your feelings openly?

As I have written in my articles during the past 16 months, I believe that we are doing the right thing in this war, but the Iraqi government will soon need to step up and take further control over its country. We didn’t intend on staying and being an occupier. Men and women are going on their third — or even fourth — deployment, causing stress for families. Some marriages are sadly resulting in divorce. I know some men who are fathers, and their children don’t even know them because they’ve been gone so frequently.

Does anyone really have an answer for this war? Probably not, and if they did, they probably have been shot down in Congress. During a period of years, there has been a shift in the political parties’ thinking about Iraq. Things are changing. I strongly believe the next president will get us out of Iraq, but we won’t just be able to get up and leave. It should be with style and political grace, possibly during the next two years. It won’t be long before we make our move. I predict that we will be out before 2011. We are obligated to give the Iraqi people something that they have never had — true freedom. Does every Iraqi want us on their soil? No, and that is straight from the horse’s mouth, not mine. Do some Iraqis believe it was better before we showed up? Yes. With so many people feeing so many different ways, how do you maintain the support from the Iraqi community? Security, electricity, water, proper housing, business funding, education and health care. On a larger scale, it may come down to Iraq’s key leadership committing themselves to their people rather than to their bank accounts and tribes. There’s a different fight going on daily in Iraq that even the top brass doesn’t see or may not think is important. So whom do we side with, or do we even take sides? If we side with the Shi'a, then the Sunni gives us grief and vice versa. I will say our leadership on the ground learned quickly how to be politicians. I have learned a lot on both deployments, leaving me sometimes baffled and other times lost in daily translations. Overall, we must finish what we started and try every day to maintain our resolve.

I have been blessed by my chain of command, especially 1st Sgt. Ward and my commander, Capt. Graham, trusting me to tell the public what I have dealt with and how I have felt about certain things. I have slipped up here and there, telling it completely how it is with no reserve. Doing that hasn’t boded well for me. I might not get an Article 15, but you just know that your name is being kicked around in the dirt, and some may believe I am a nark or a radical or even disloyal to the unit. I don’t believe in conspiracy, but I do believe that writing has definitely tainted my career. Do I care? Some days, but being known as the guy who is willing to step up against the organization, fighting the fight for those who don’t want to — or feel the need to — is an honor, and I love every minute of it. I have been told that I should be a politician when I get out or go into journalism so I can tell people what others may be trying to hide. On the flip side, I have been blessed with a support group around the globe, including politicians in both small and big governments. Getting back and going out in the community, I have run into a lot of supporters, and it has been rewarding and encouraging. So can you express yourself in the service? Hell yes, but when you do, be ready to defend yourself to the bitter end and believe in what you say and live it. Be above reproach at all times and always have your ducks in order, because when the big dogs come after you, your strength will be in your resolve. (Department of Defense Directives 1325.6 and 1344.10 address service members’ rights to expression).

What have you learned from your years in the military? What did you learn by being deployed?

I have learned that everyone leads a different way and deals with things in a different way. I think the biggest thing I have learned is how important it is that you remember who you are and where you came from when moving up rank. I have learned that the organization is built around many policies. These policies sometimes get in the way of things that would be easily done in the real world, but every policy has a purpose and an underline, so I, in a way, respect their consistency. The one thing I have learned from my deployments is never trust anyone — trust only the ones around you. You rarely go wrong doing that.

How instrumental were your family and friends in keeping you focused when you were away?

My family has been the cornerstone in my military career. My mother knows I don’t belong in the Army, but she respects what I do. She knows that I am a dreamer, one who pushes issues and gravitates toward things that most people stay away from. She knows that when I go on deployment I am no different from any other man on the ground. Just because I write doesn’t mean I am automatically bulletproof — though I wish that was the case. I hate putting them through the stress of deployments, but it’s just the way it goes. Good family, good support.

What is your future in the military? What happens now that you're home? Will you be deployed again? Where do you see yourself a year from now? Five years from now?

I have a couple more years in the organization. Then I am getting out, and I am going to try to get a book published titled “My Rifle and My Last Four.” Being home is like starting all over again. It’s a process, and it changes every time I get back from a deployment. In one year from now, I will be older, wiser, and I will have written more pages and probably fought more fights, but I will be around, God willing. In five years — I don’t even know where I am going to be in five minutes. I do hope that I have a chance to lead young men and not just teach them about combat but educate them further on how it’s important to know who you are and what you are fighting for. I do have this gut feeling I will be locked away in some room with a pencil and paper, doing paperwork, keeping out of the population, but who knows? It’s in God’s hands, and everything happens for a reason.

If you weren't a soldier, what would you be doing now?

If I wasn’t a soldier, I would be a teacher, or I would be working in some political arena. I also would learn more about photojournalism.

You seem to really enjoy blogging and writing your thoughts on your deployment. What prompted you to write about your experiences for the Ranger?

The Ranger has been so good to me I can’t even express it in words. I have been given the opportunity to write, and that is my passion. Ken, the boss man, and Val, my hardworking copy editor, have been there when things were dark and gloomy. I didn’t know if I could knock out 15 straight months of writing while deployed, but after a couple of months and a couple of bumps in the road, I found my rhythm. I really want to say thank you to Val. She has been like the big sister I never had. In the business world, you rarely find someone who takes time to ask you, “Are you OK?” Val did that many times, and she has read e-mails from me that would drop an ordinary person’s jaw, e-mails about things I deeply am disturbed about. I have never met Val, but I hope every up-and-coming writer has someone like her in their life.
What prompted me to write? That’s a secret, and when my book comes out, everyone will read how it all came about. But the short version is Ken, the boss man, gave me a spot and I ran with it. I don’t know what I have done for the paper, but I hope that the family at The Ranger knows that I appreciate their hard work and diligence.

In conclusion, if you live your life concealed in thought and emotions you will never uncap your true self.
Silence is sometimes good, but if you believe in something and desire it, no one can silence you. As a solider first and a writer second, I know what I face, and knowing makes every word I type more and more expressed and diligently focused on the case. You ask, “What is the cause?” The truth. Nothing more than the unadulterated truth. If my readers have any questions, they can contact me at coachdave25@msn.com.