This post is based on an interview with Mr. Gary Harrington. It is part of our series of interviews of OODA Network members. Our objective with these interviews is to provide actionable information of interest to the community, including insights that can help with your own career progression. We also really like highlighting some of the great people that make our continued research and reporting possible.  For the full series see: OODA Expert Network Bio Series.

Career Progression:  When the Marine recruiter met with Gary Harrington, a track star at Campbell University, he knew exactly what to tell him. He said, “I have a great opportunity for you, but I doubt you are capable of doing it.”  Gary was hooked.  He was seeking the most exciting adventure he could find.  Gary says, “I didn’t want to be the Lone Ranger.  I wanted to Tonto!”.   He wanted to test himself.  He commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and headed off to fight for his Country.  They trained him in reconnaissance, mountain climbing, amphibious operations, and even advanced sniper school.

Gary loved it all!  He loved being forward deployed and where the action was.  Eventually, however, the Marine Corps promoted him to more senior jobs… which inevitably meant a desk somewhere, with paperwork and drudgery.  Gary would have none of that!  He resigned his commission and decided to join the FBI.  He passed all the tests and interviews and was offered a position.    But there was that darned office/paperwork/drudgery problem.  He saw that many of the FBI agents spent a lot of time working desks.    Just before he was supposed to head over to the FBI training in Quantico, he slipped out to speak with the Army Special Forces recruiter.   He enlisted in the Army as a Special Forces medic.  (No, that’s NOT a typo!  He GAVE UP his USMC Commission …. to ENLIST in the Army!)

For twenty years, Gary took the most dangerous assignments the Army had.  He found himself on the forefront of Unconventional Warfare.  Deployed a great deal of the time on solo missions around the world, Gary learned how to depend on limited resources in dangerous places to achieve his goals.  He became the Army’s expert.  Gary was in the car when he heard about the attack on the first Tower on September 11^th, 2001.  He knew instantly what was happening.  He had studied the available intelligence when they discovered Al-Qaeda’s attempted bombing of the USS Sullivan, and the eventually successful bombing of the USS Cole.   [He wrote a terrific piece titled The Road to Benghazi https://medium.com/@gary.h/the-road-to-the-next-benghazi-9d725fd45ecd that lays out some of the things he saw along the way, and the struggles he had in getting the message out.]. Gary pulled into a roadside café and asked them to turn on the TV, where he witnessed the second Tower’s demise. Everything he had learned in his career, up to that point, compiled to make him uniquely prepared for that moment. He found himself working on the forefront of Special Operations to plan the Nation’s response and to establish a foothold in Uzbekistan to support it.

Post 911, Gary worked closely with the Central Intelligence Agency, helping the Special Forces and the Agency work seamlessly together.  His assignments kept him forward deployed around the world, usually the first man in and the last man out of any dangerous operation.  He was requested by seasoned leaders because he had valuable inside knowledge.   He would go into hotspots to evaluate the local conditions and help determine when the Special Forces should go in.  This often blurred the lines between DoD/CIA in their roles and coordination.  It was inevitable that he would work for the Agency when he retired from the Army after twenty years.  And guess where the Agency sent him?  You got it:  Afghanistan … for three “one-year” assignments.

Today, Gary looks for ways to use his 35 plus years of experience to help people recognize threats and stay safe in a volatile world.  Through his company, https://www.garyharrington.net/ he speaks at seminars and conferences and works with multiple clients and corporations.  In his effort to reach more people with these important messages, he is creating an On-Line course, starting with how to plan safe activities, at Church, in School, and anywhere large crowds will gather.  

Surprises:  Gary is surprised how American’s are always seeking the “latest hack” to make things safer.  Gary says, “People want an easy band aid.   But when it comes to security and your survival, there is no easy solution. You have to pay attention to things in your environment.  You’ll become a victim if you don’t stay aware and take decisive action.”

Advice for Decision Makers: “Leaders need to focus on a new threat: the troubled kid in his basement or the disgruntled employee.  Today, vigilance includes looking at the little things that can combine to represent a real threat.”  Gary says.

Security Improvements: Gary is encouraged by the additional awareness being promoted in office buildings, airports, etc. through “if you see something, say something” campaigns.  Gary thinks that these messages are important and are making a big improvement.

Risks in The Near Future: On the ground “tribal leaders” shape local environments and change daily.  Gary emphasizes how important it is to understand their mindset and what role they have in their communities.

Views on Thought Leaders:  Gary considers himself a life-long student.  He reads the Bible daily to get insights and inspirations for his life.

Quick Hits:

• Book Recommendations: God and Ronald Reagan by Paul Kengor  and Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life you Want,  by Michael Hyatt.
• Favorite piece of content on OODAloop: Gary uses OODAloop to keep tabs on where people are traveling and the conditions there.
• LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-harrington-225631104/