Faith, Flying and Family with LtCol Pete “Salvo” Benning, USMC

Leadership Under Fire

In this episode, LUF Founder Jason Brezler is joined by LtCol Pete “Salvo” Benning, USMC. Benning was born and raised in New Guinea where his parents were missionaries. After graduating from high school, he moved back to the US where he spent a couple of years as a ski instructor and doing odd jobs. He applied to the US Naval Academy and was initially rejected but was afforded the opportunity to attend the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, RI. Benning would eventually make his way to Annapolis as a Midshipman and was commissioned as a Marine officer upon his Naval Academy graduation in 2004. In the two decades since, Benning has actively led and served in an array of capacities as a combat aviator, an instructor at the Naval Academy, in business development in the private sector, at home as a husband and active father, and in his church and community.