Biography: BC-BSS
John Bentley
John Bentley (email), Branch Chief, Atlantic South, was born and grew up in Michigan City, IN, on the shores of Lake Michigan, and started boating when he was 14 years old after first completing an Auxiliary boating course. He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves in his Junior year of high school and after graduation he reported for duty aboard the U.S.S. Lake Champlain CVS-39,an anti-submarine hunting aircraft carrier. After serving on the ship for 18 months, he was transferred to N.A.S. Jacksonville, FL, and is one of the original members (a plank owner) of Patrol Squadron VP-30. He was honorably discharged in 1963.
After his active duty service, he was employed by I.R.C.&D. Motor Freight, located in Richmond, IN, as a freight rate and billing clerk in 1962. He learned the freight business, attended college at night, and received several promotions over the next 19 years. In 1980 he was promoted to Vice President, Claims and Security.
In 1981, he moved his family to Dallas, Texas, having accepted the position of Executive Director of the Southwestern Claim Conference. The Conference closed in 1983 and John moved his family back to Richmond and accepted the position of Manager, Supply and Logistics for Allied Broadcast Equipment 1984. Harris Corporation purchased Allied Broadcast in 1986. John retired from Harris in 1999.
John has a degree from Indiana University in Business Administration; has certificates from the College of Advanced Traffic and Transportation Management, Chicago, IL., and was one of the first 18 people in the U.S. to be accredited as a Certified Claims Professional in 1982 by the Certified Claims Professional Accreditation Council. He has the distinction of having served on both shippers and carriers panels of the Transportation Arbitration Board, and also held the position of General Manager of T.A.B. for four years.
John has been in the Auxiliary for 18 years. He was RCO-W of the 8th ER in 2006 and 2007. He is an Auxop, QE, Coxswain, Instructor, RBSVP Visitor, VE, Fingerprint Tech, and holds several Flotilla, Division and District Staff Positions. In 2008 Rear Admiral Whitehead, USCG, 8th District Commanding Officer, presented John with the Auxiliary Achievement Medal for superior performance of duty.
John is married. He and his bride, Brenda, of 44 years, have 1 daughter and 3 grandsons. Besides boating, John enjoys music and strumming his guitar.