deployments aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt.

It was during this period that Bennett had some of his most memorable missions, including participating in the rescue of Air Force Capt. Scott OGrady, who was shot down over Bosnia.

Although Bennett has earned numerous awards, one of his greatest treasures is a 20-taka note from Bangladesh, which he carries in his wallet. It was given to him by a Bangladeshi United Nations worker who had been under fire in Bosnia, and was rescued when Prowlers provided air cover for Dutch F-16s firing on Serbian ground troops.

Following that squadron command, Bennett served as current operations branch chief and deputy director for crisis action to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. In March 1999 he joined the staff of Commander Carrier Group Three asassistant chief of staff for operations, completing two deployments aboard USS Carl Vinson.

Bennett was aboard the Vinson, rounding the southern tip of India when he and his crewmates saw the World Trade Center attacks on CNN. Four battle groups with 60 U.S. and coalition ships went into defense force posture, unsure what the terrorists next target might be. Bennett was in charge of operations for all airborne units in Operation Enduring Freedom, not just a Prowler squadron.

Following that duty Bennett returned to Whidbey to assume command of Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in June 2002.

Bennett is not all work and no play. His call name is Disco, and as he explained, he and his wife Debbie used to be competitive disco dancers, in the height of the