David E. Hart

David Hart was raised in Anderson, Indiana, the son of a factory tradesman, he was an above average student and athlete, winning placement in state rifle, bodybuilding and power lifting competitions. His lineage includes direct ancestry from Thomas Jackson Hart of Bath County Kentucky, whom traversed the Cumberland Gap via the Wilderness Road and is counted among the original and first settlers of the Transylvania land claim to subsequently become the Common Wealth of Kentucky. From here is where Capt. Hart developed his strong frontier work ethic, which has propelled him though out the remainder of his Marine Corps and civil service career. This work ethic prompted David to join the Marine Corps in July, 1982 at the age of seventeen.

Pvt. Hart attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California and graduated as Platoon Honorman in August, 1983. PFC. Hart was then ordered to attend Air Traffic Control School at Naval Air Station Memphis, Tn. His first assignment as an Air Traffic Controller was Marine Corps Air Station, Beaufort, SC. In late 1984, LCpl Hart volunteered for yet another challenge, Explosive Ordnance Disposal. LCpl Hart then attended his initial EOD training at Indian Head Naval Ordnance Station in Indian Head, MD.

Cpl. Hart graduated EOD School in July, 1985 and was assigned to Marine Air Group Eleven, in El Toro, California where he served in numerous operations in support of Marine Air Wing training in all parts of California. Subsequent assignments included training and operations with Orange County Sheriff’s Department, United States Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. Law Enforcement support operations included munitions destruction, post blast investigation, U.S. Secret Service support for President, Vice President and the Pope.

Sgt. Hart left the Marine Corps in late 1987 and joined the U.S. Army Special Forces, Eleventh Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he served as a Special Forces Engineering Sergeant. In 1989, Sgt. Hart enlisted again in the Marine Corps as an EOD Technician and was assigned to the Seventh Engineer Support Battalion and subsequently the Eleventh Marine Expeditionary Unit in preparation for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During David’s sabbatical from active-duty service, He worked as a Corrections Officer with Indiana Department of Corrections and Federal Bureau of Prisons in Indiana participating in special operations units for both agencies.

During Operation Desert Storm, Sgt. Hart was a member of MSSG-11, EOD team supporting the landing of coalition forces in Al-Mishab and I MEF Direct Action Platoons conducting operations against Iraqi ship traffic and oil platforms. Sgt. Hart returned from the Gulf War in May of 1991 when he was selected for the Marine Enlisted Commissioning and Education Program (MECEP) and subsequently attended Purdue University in Indiana. Lieutenant Hart graduated with a degree in history in 1994 with department and university honors.

As a commissioned officer, Lt. Hart’s first assignment took him to Second Combat Engineer Battalion in Camp Lejeune, NC. Lt. Hart then served as a Platoon Commander for B Company, 1st Platoon. Lt. Hart participated in Operation Purple Star and CAX Eight and Nine 1996 and 1997. Lt. Hart also served as the Battalion Training Officer, and as Assistant Operations Officer during his tour at Camp Lejeune.

In June of 1998, Capt. Hart was then assigned to Sixth Engineer Support Battalion as the Inspector-Instructor for C Company in Peoria, Illinois, where he was promoted to Captain. Capt. Hart participated in several New Horizon Exercises, in Jamaica, Guatemala, and Belize, while at C Company. During these deployments and exercises, Capt. Hart received a Joint Service Achievement Medal for his force protection plans and actions in Guatemala and a Navy Commendation Medal for his subsequent actions while Inspector-Instructor. During the Central American operations Capt. Hart received accolades from the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala for redevelopment of relations and trust with the local communities and Catholic Church that had been politically subverted by Marxist rebels. Capt. Hart’s company of Marines was invited to and participated in Holy Week processions in Las Lagunas. Trust was subsequently reestablished between the military and the local population by the actions of Capt. Hart and his Marines.

Capt. Hart Arrived at MWSS 273 in August of 2001 where he was assigned as the Engineer Company Commander. Since his arrival Capt. Hart attended Weapons and Tactics Instructor’s Course at MCAS Yuma where he acquired the requisite knowledge to act as an Engineer Officer in the challenging Marine Air Wing environment. While at MWSS 273 Captain Hart has received his Master’s Degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom Capt. Hart was an engineer company commander and retained responsibilities for security of the Al Asad air base in An Abar Providence, forward operating base in Al Quiam near the Syrian border and forward operating base Kalsu, south of Baghdad. Capt. Hart provided Explosive Ordnance Disposal Teams and engineering expertise for landing zone and airfield development and improvement and presided over development of a never before used dust-abatement product invented and developed by Capt. Hart’s Marine engineers. Capt. Hart was offered promotion to major in theater, however declined this promotion due to his pending retirement. Capt. Hart received the Navy Commendation Medal for his actions in Iraq in regard to security and airfield support operations.

In preparation for military retirement David was a volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriff in South Carolina, where he executed patrol and traffic duties for approximately 4 years. David subsequently undertook duties as a Corporate Security Manager at Caterpillar Inc. a Fortune 100 company. David’s responsibilities at Caterpillar involved creation of security and exfiltration plans for U.S. citizens and employees of Caterpillar from volatile political environments and potential Avian Flu pandemics in South-East Asia and provided security for multiple U.S. Caterpillar facilities with over ten thousand employees. David also taught school at Peoria Christian School in Illinois before taking a position with A-T Solutions. At A-T Solutions, a private military contractor, David conducted training of Department of Defense personnel in Improvised Explosive Device Awareness prior to war deployments and conducted Weapons of Mass Destruction assessments for Department of Homeland Security. David’s assessments included the New York bridges, Chicago Financial District, Sears Tower, The Renascence Building of Dallas, and numerous critical infrastructure and key resources throughout the United States.

Since July 2009, David is a Chemical Security Inspector with Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency of U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The responsibilities as a Chemical Security Inspector span nearly 4000 chemical facilities throughout the United States and also involve liaison and outreach to all state, local, federal and tribal organizations in the assigned area of operations. Among other duties, Inspector Hart gathers and shares related intelligence and law enforcement information that all agencies may be prepared and appropriately react to the preponderance of natural and terroristic threats to this critical key infrastructure and critical resource. David has served on multiple working groups and committees that provide instruction and proposes paths forward for Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Currently David has two daughters, five grandchildren and has been married to his wife Patricia for thirty-nine years. David serves as committee chairman and Emerald Coast Area Point Man for Trail Life USA, as a Deacon and Security Director for Woodlawn Baptist Church in Crestview Florida, and recently honored as a Colonel of Kentucky.