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Speaker Bio

Justin Constantine graduated from James Madison University in 1992 with a double major in English and Political Science and a minor in German.  He graduated from the University of Denver School of Law in 1998; while there he was a member of the International Law Journal and Chairman of the Honor Council.  Justin joined the U.S. Marine Corps after his second year of law school.  While on active duty, he served as a Judge Advocate specializing in criminal law, and was stationed both in Okinawa, Japan, and at Camp Pendleton, California, where he worked as a defense counsel and criminal prosecutor.

 

As a Marine Reservist, Justin volunteered for deployment to Iraq in 2006, and served in al-Anbar Province as a Team Leader of a group of Marines performing civil affairs work while attached to an infantry battalion.  While on a routine combat patrol, Justin was shot in the head by a sniper.  Although the original prognosis was that he had been killed in action, Justin survived.  Through teamwork and a positive mental attitude, he has had quite a successful recovery.  His personal awards from his time in Iraq include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, and Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal.    

 

Upon recovering from his injuries, Justin started a new job with the U.S. Department of Justice.  In November of 2008, he was invited to serve as Counsel for the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.  In 2009, Justin was accepted into the Fellowship program of the Truman National Security Project, and was the Honor Graduate of his class at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. 

 

In early 2011, Justin started a job with the Federal Bureau of Investigation working on a counterterrorism team.  Also, he was recently selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the Wounded Warrior Project, and spends much of his spare time on wounded warrior activities, including fundraising and raising awareness of the myriad issues faced by our wounded warriors and their families.  In addition, Justin recently began the Master of Laws (LLM) program at Georgetown this Fall. 

 

Based on his remarkable recovery and continued advocacy for veterans, in 2011 Justin received the annual Courage award from the Wounded Warrior Project and the Commitment to Service Award from the Give An Hour Foundation in 2012.  He has also received significant recognition from the White House, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Washington Redskins, James Madison University, and the Tri-State Troopers Fund. 

 

Justin recently started his own business as an Inspirational Speaker - over the last several years he has spoken at numerous military, educational and corporate events about the value of a positive attitude, teamwork and community values in overcoming adversity.  Clients include Humana, Northrup Grumman, Aon and the American Red Cross.  Justin has also been featured in magazines and programs such as CNN, Mens Health, the Huffington Post, the Atlantic, James Madison University’s Madison Magazine, the Wounded Warrior Project’s After Action Report, Vetrepreneur Magazine, Financial Times, the Verizon FIOS Channel 1 magazine show “Push-Pause,” and the Department of Labor’s America’s Heroes at Work Success Stories.