Benjamin Maenza was born August 2nd, 1988, in Nashville, Tennessee. Ben decided to work for several years out of high school until he enlisted in Marine Corps in January 2010. Ben enlisted to become a combat engineer and received his orders for First Combat Engineer Battalion. In September of 2010 his unit and 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines deployed to Sangin, Afghanistan, Helmand providence.
On October 21, 2010, Ben was involved in an IED explosion while on a dismounted patrol resulting in several catastrophic injuries. Ben sustained a shrapnel wound to his face and nose that left the corpsman unable to administer pain relief until medical evacuation. Ben also suffered serious injuries to both his legs which would end in amputation. His right hand was burned, and his left hand had to be reconstructed, along with his left forearm.
After 16 months at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, he returned home to begin the next chapter of his life enrolling in college at Lipscomb University. Ben also planned and executed a trek across the country from St. Augustine, FL to Oceanside, CA on a hand cycle raising nearly $92,000, 100% of which was donated to the Semper Fi fund.
After the trek, Ben worked diligently to complete his degree in business management, graduating in the spring of 2015. At that time, he had also just met his future wife, Kohl. They were married in the fall, September 10, 2016 and have two active boys Hank and Jack.
Ben works at Permobil Inc., a manufacturer of advanced assistive solutions for people with disabilities. He is an avid outdoor sportsman, active in his church and enjoys Jiu Jitsu with the boys.
