Colonel Ben W. Grant enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserves and reported to MCRD Parris Island in June 1990. He was activated during the first Gulf War to complete training as a field military police officer with 1st MP Platoon, 4th FSSG, Dayton, Ohio. He subsequently augmented to active duty and selected for recruiting duty. He returned to the reserves in summer 1996 and attended college. He completed Officer’s Candidate School, PLC Combined, Quantico, in the summer of 1998. He graduated Miami University of Ohio in 1999 with a BA in History and commissioned a 2ndLt in November of 2000.
Upon graduation from The Basic School in October 2001, he reported to NAS Pensacola for flight training with VT-2 at NAS Whiting and VT-31 at NAS Corpus Christi. He was designated a Naval Aviator in May of 2003 and reported to VMGRT-253 for training as a KC-130F/R/T copilot. In May 2004, he reported to VMGR-252 where he underwent conversion training to the KC-130J. In February 2005, he deployed for six months to Al Asad, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and promoted to the rank of Captain in July of 2005. Immediately upon returning from Iraq, he participated in Hurricane Katrina relief operations. In July 2006, he deployed to RAF Akrotri, Cyprus, and aboard the USS Iwo Jima as the 24th MEU KC-130 Liaison Officer during the Lebanon-Israel War. In February 2007 he deployed again for six months to Al Asad, Iraq, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Upon returning from Iraq, he was heavily involved with the development of KC-130J and MV-22 long-range aerial refueling teamed mission operations. During this four-year tour with VMGR-252, he held the billets of Adjutant, S-1 Officer, Flight Duty Officer, Powerline Division Officer, Quality Assurance Officer, and Assistant Maintenance Officer.
In August 2008, he reported to Quantico for Expeditionary Warfare School. In June 2009, he reported to VMGR-152, Okinawa, Japan, where he assumed the duties of Flight Officer and, after completing Weapons and Tactics Instructor training in the spring of 2010, as the Pilot Training Officer. In November 2010, he deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan for seven months in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as the VMGR-152 Detachment Officer-in-Charge, combining first with VMGR-352 as the combined detachment Operations Officer, then with VMGR-252 as the combined detachment Executive Officer. Promoted to Major on 1 June 2011, he then returned to Okinawa where assumed the duties of 1st MAW ATCO on the Wing G-3 staff.
Summer of 2012, he reported to Quantico for Command and Staff College, earning a Master’s Degree in Military Science. He returned to VMGR-252 in the summer of 2013 where he assumed the duties as the Director of Safety and Standardization. He deployed in December 2013 as the Officer-in-Charge of the SPMAGTF-CR KC-130J detachment and conducted the response to Djibouti and Uganda in support of Operation OAKEN SONNET during the South Sudan civil war. Returning in February of 2014, he assumed the duties as the Squadron Aviation Maintenance Officer. In January of 2015, he deployed again for six months as the Officer-in-Charge of the now larger SPMAGTF-CR-AF 15.1 KC-130J detachment. He assumed the duties as Squadron Executive Officer upon his return.
In June 2016, he reported to Headquarters Marine Corps Aviation, Pentagon, where he served as a requirements officer in the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Cell supporting RQ-7 sunset and RQ-21 requirements for a year, and then in Aviation Plans and Policy. Additionally, he was Senator John Glenn's Official Military Escort when Senator Glenn was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in April of 2017. He promoted Lieutenant Colonel on 1 October 2017.
He assumed command of VMGR-252 in Oct of 2018. Highlighting this tour were the continued operations in support of II MEF and SPMAGTF-CR-AF, support to the joint force, and the induction of the Harvest HAWK Plus weaponized KC-130J. He relinquished command in May 2020 and attended National Defense University, Eisenhower School, earning a Master’s of Science in National Resource Strategy. He was selected into the American Fellows program mentoring NDU’s international students during the academic year.
He reported to HQ USCENTCOM J7 in July 2021 as the joint exercise lead planner for exercise EAGER LION in Jordan. In April of 2022, he assumed the duties as USCENTCOM Exercises Division Chief, responsible for the Combatant Command's CJCS directed exercise portfolio. He promoted to Colonel in April of 2023.
He reported to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in July of 2023 assuming the duties of Assistant Chief of Staff G-5 Plans. During this tour he was heavily focused on the refinement and validation of numerous regional and theater level plans in support of III MEF, INDOPACOM, and national strategic interests. He reported to MAG-14 in July of 2024.
His personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (two gold stars in lieu of third award), Air Medal with Strike/Flight numeral 20, Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with gold star) and the Navy Achievement Medal (with two gold stars). He is a Weapons and Tactics Instructor and Fleet Replacement Standardization Instructor Pilot with over 3,300 pilot-hours in the KC-130J of which 925 are combat hours, and over 5,000 total hours. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Air Assault Course and Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE) School.