Lieutenant Colonel Scott Benson is a native of St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated from the Interservice PA Program (IPAP) through the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2003 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Army Medical Specialist Corps.
Prior to program and commissioning, he enlisted in the Army in 1990 and served in Infantry and Combat Medic occupational skills. During this time, he was assigned to the 85th Division (Training), Womack Army Medical Center (Emergency Room), Flight Medic for 3rd Battalion 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and at the ILNG STARC Det 6 (Illinois National Guard State Area Command Detachment 6), attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant before commissioning.
LTC Benson has served in several operational units to include 2nd Battalion 20th Special Forces Group (2yrs); 3rd Battalion 1st Special Forces Group (4yrs); as Theater Surgeon-Joint Special Operations Task Force (Philippines); 4th Battalion 1st Special Forces Group (1yr) and as a Squadron PA for the Army’s Special Missions Unit (6yrs). Combat deployments included SE Asia, Arabian Peninsula, Philippines, and Africa. Additionally, he has served as the Director (and an instructor) for the Tactical Combat Medical Care (TCMC) program and as Chief-Army Combat Medic Division (Department of Operational Medicine) which oversees Combat Medic, Paramedic, Flight Paramedic and ALC (Advanced Leader Course) PH III at JBSA (Joint Base San Antonio), Texas. He is currently the Director-Senior Leader Sustainment Program (U.S. Army War College) at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
His awards include the Combat Medical Badge; Flight Surgeon Badge; Dive Medical Badge; Parachute Badge; Bronze Star Medal; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal(3); Air Medal; Army Commendation Medal(2); Army Achievement Medal(4); Joint Meritorious Unit Award(2); Army Superior Unit Award(3); Army Good Conduct Medal(2); National Defense Service Medal(2); Afghanistan Campaign Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal(2); Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal ; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal ; Armed Forces Service Medal; Overseas Service Ribbon; NATO Medal; Thai Parachutist Badge; Australian Parachutist Badge; Canadian Parachutist Badge and Indonesian Parachutist Badge.
LTC Benson is a graduate of the Officer Basic Course, Captain’s Career Course, Command and General Staff College, Tropical Medicine, Flight Surgeon, Dive Medical Officer, Combat Skills Course, TCMC, JFCTMC (Joint Forces Combat Trauma Management Cource), Operational & Emergency Medical Skills, SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) Training, Open Water Survival, and several others.
Acknowledgments: This biography was written by Scott Benson and was submitted to the Society in April 2023. Photographs are courtesy of LTC Benson.
When using information from this biography, please provide the proper citation as described within the PA History Society Terms of Use
Disclaimer: The authors’ views do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.
