474: Building More United Communities. With Force Recon Marine, Jake Harriman

Jake Harriman's early years in the Wetzel Settlement, atop a West Virginia mountaintop, shaped him into a service-minded individual who excelled both academically and athletically.

Jake's Farming Roots in a Poverty-Stricken, Community-Minded West Virginia

Jake's Family Instilled In Him a Desire to Serve Others

Harriman grew up in technical poverty on a small farm in the Wetzel Settlement of West Virginia, but he never felt poor. The upbringing by his family, who lived off the land by growing their own food and hunting for meat, endowed him with a profound sense of community and service. This sentiment was reinforced in the overall community, which consisted of about 40 families. The community members supported each other with generous acts, such as sharing food and chopping wood for each other, especially during winters.

Jake felt a strong pull to serve others, influenced by his mother's continual service to those around her and his father, who had friends who were Marines in Vietnam.

Jake Was Academically Inclined, but Also Developed a Competitive Athletic Side

Jake Harriman was initially small, not particularly athletic, and described himself as a "runt." Fortunately, this disadvantage soon turned into an advantage—he grew tall quickly during adolescence, inspired by his athletic father who was considered a local legend. After a coach took an interest in him, Jake embarked on weight training and took up football. While he also played a bit of basketball, football became his principal sport.

Because of his early physical challenges, Jake dove into his studies, excelling academically. He studied engineering at WVU prior to attending ...

Jake Harriman provides an insight into his journey and experiences within the Marine Corps, from his initial reluctance to join the Naval Academy to his multiple tours of duty and combat deployments.

Heading: Jake Accepted Naval Academy Appointment After Hesitation, Determined to Succeed Through Plebe Summer Challenges

After initially turning down his acceptance to the Naval Academy due to hesitations about the dress code and six-year service requirement, Jake Harriman later regretted attending West Virginia University with his friends instead of joining the military. With Senator Byrd's nomination, he managed to reenter the Academy, using that experience as a driving force during Plebe summer. Despite the challenge, including unsettling weight loss, his background from WVU gave him a notable academic advantage.

Jake's College Edge Drove Him to Excel Despite Difficult Training

His determination to make his opportunity at the Naval Academy work stemmed from having no other choice and needing to succeed. Jake's prior academic exposure enabled him to comfortably navigate the earlier years at the Academy, ultimately leading him to graduate number one from the basic school and choose his desired infantry MOS.

Jake Joined the Marine Corps, Serving Four Tours & two Combat Deployments in Iraq

Jake's time with the Marine Corps included serving with the First Force Recon, where he attended several schools to enhance his skills, such as jump school, dive school, and seer school. These experiences, coupled with the attainment of "double trouble" designation, helped him excel early and avoid tarnishing his reputation. Before 9/11, his Force Recon platoons were part of MEUs, serving as rapid response units alongside infantry battalions.

Jake's Leadership in Force Recon and a Tragic Iraqi Family Incident

His leadership qualities were further sharpened by learning from corporals and sergeants about leading authentically and humbly from ...

Jake Harriman, inspired by his experiences as a Marine, brings a comprehensive solution to addressing global poverty and opportunity as a means to tackle violent extremism.

Inspired by Iraq, Jake Tackles Violent Extremism By Addressing Global Poverty and Opportunity

Having witnessed the exploitation of vulnerable communities by groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda, Jake Harriman understood the need for comprehensive strategies. Jocko Willink recounts how Harriman, post his Marine Corps service, initiated Nuru International with a vision to eradicate extreme poverty as a means to empower communities and resist the spread of such groups. The organization merged the expertise of former combat operators with aid workers to address poverty in "gray zones," aiming to create sustainable change over five to seven years.

Jake, Ex-marine, Founds Nuru International to Eradicate Extreme Poverty

After his military career and time at Stanford where classmates unexpectedly supported and helped him build Nuru International, Harriman established the organization with profound dedication to its enduring mission. He lived in African villages for 7.5 to 8 years during his 12-year tenure at Nuru International, believing he would dedicate his entire career to this cause.

Jake Led Nuru International's 12-year Effort in Africa, Empowering Communities With Scalable, Sustainable Agricultural and Economic Models

Through Nuru International, Jake Harriman spearheaded scalable and sustainable agriculture and economic models, achieving significant outcomes such as increasing crop yields from three bags of corn per acre to roughly 18 bags. Nuru's philosophy emphasized that local leaders should independently sustain and scale these models. The organization now operates under a new CEO in its fifth country, employing farming cooperatives as a catalyst for change and facilitating unity for effective trade in real markets. Harriman raised about $350,000 to kick-start Nuru International and named it "Nuru" – meaning light or hope in Swahili – to resonate with the local population.

Challenges Faced but Commitment Remained: Restoring Agency and Dignity

Harriman navigated numerous challenges, including violent encounters and personal hea ...

Jake Harriman, upon returning to the U.S., launches More Perfect Union, an initiative to bridge America's political and societal divides by leveraging veterans' leadership in community-building activities.

Returning To the U.S., Jake Was Struck by Societal Divisions, Feeling Compelled to Address This Challenge

After serving overseas and returning home, Jake Harriman was saddened and angered by the stark divisions and isolation within echo chambers he observed in America. This vivid contrast to the country he remembered propelled him to leave Nuru International and take action to address these challenges. He felt compelled to contribute to the betterment of his country but rejected the idea of running for office in search of other avenues to make an impact.

More Perfect Union Leverages Veterans' Leadership to Build Community Trust and Common Ground, Inspired by Counterinsurgency Tactics

Inspired by counterinsurgency tactics, More Perfect Union employs strategies like human terrain mapping to understand power dynamics within communities. These approaches aim to build trust and foster understanding among diverse Americans through social activities, community service, and civic engagement.

The Organization Partners With Groups to Facilitate Community Service, Social Activities, and Civic Engagement That Foster Understanding Among Diverse Americans

To bridge divisions, Jake Harriman suggests engaging in conversations with those different from ourselves and carrying out tasks such as working together on a project to encourage shared experiences that make it difficult to harbor hate. More Perfect Union envisions being the new civic meeting place of America, collaborating on initiatives like disaster relief efforts to build trust and common ground. With 'brickyard captains' trained to understand their communities and build relationships, the organization leverages collaborations with groups such as Habitat for Humanity and Go Ruck to run activities destined to unite people and bridge political divides.

Jake Harriman perceives a stark gap in bringing people together, a situation exacerbated by a decline in community involvement as evidenced by Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone." By establishing chapters across the country, More Perfect Union aims to engage people in various activities that reconnect them to common American values. These chapters or "brickyards" have scaled impressively, reaching all 50 states. The University of Montana plays a role in training veterans who then go back to their communities t ...