I am MAJ Craig
Bender. I was born in Huntington, West Virginia. I grew up in my
hometown is in Eaton, Ohio. I went to school at the University
of Dayton and graduated with a Bachelors of Chemical Engineering
in December of 1998. I was commissioned through the ROTC
program.
My first
assignment after the Signal Officer Basic Course (SOBC) took me
to Korea. I served as a TACSAT platoon leader and company
executive officer while in Korea. I then went to Darmstadt,
Germany with the 22nd Signal Brigade. I was a training officer
for six months. Then, I was a platoon leader for six months and
a company executive officer for three months. My next job was as
the battalion maintenance officer. I was also the unit movement
officer for the battalion. From there, I was pulled up to
brigade to be the brigade movement officer in order to deploy us
to Operation Iraqi Freedom I. I deployed the brigade to Kuwait
and served as the liaison officer to CFLCC for 22nd Signal
Brigade and answered for all of V Corps’ signal assets during
Operation Iraqi Freedom I. It was near the end of this tour that
I met my wife, Karen. She was deployed to OIF I with the 11th
Signal Brigade out of Fort Huachuca, AZ.
As I was
attending my Signal Officer Advanced Course, we got married. We
received orders for FT Riley, Kansas and moved there in May of
2004. I was the battalion signal officer for 1-13th Armor. I
deployed again to OIF with this unit.
Upon returning
from OIF, we received orders for FT Detrick, MD. I would command
there, after a short period of working at the battalion. I
commanded two signal companies simultaneously, HHC and Alpha
Company, of the 302nd Signal Battalion.
In 2007, the
Army offered an officer incentive opportunity. Three more years
in the Army, gave us the opportunity to be here in Ohio today.
And with past deployments, missing much of my daughters first
year of life, and the opportunity to be so near family and
friends, it was a very easy decision for our family. I am
currently an assistant professor of military science at my alma
mater, University of Dayton.
My wife and I
are blessed with two children, Logan Elizabeth and Zachary
Craig. Our family is often called the ‘Bender Arc’ or ‘Bender
Bunch’, as we have two adults, two children, two dogs, and two
cats! We enjoy traveling to visit family and friends and new
locations. We love most outdoor activities to include sports,
boating, and are getting into camping! And on the inside days,
we can be found reading, wrestling, and having fun! We are very
blessed and in that we work to keep God as the center of our
home, our family, our marriage, and our lives. God Bless!
