Benjamin West, was born in Laurel, Mississippi in 1973.  He graduated from Petal High School in 1992 and attended the University of Southern Mississippi.  In January 1993 he enlisted in the United States Air Force and moved to Minot, North Dakota where he served three years attaining the rank of E-4, Senior Airman. 

While serving as a Munitions Systems Specialist, he received certification in Total Quality Management (TQM) and Supply Inventory Management. 

These skills were essential to his duties managing and securing multi-million dollar Air Force assets to include: vehicles, aircraft, weapons systems, buildings, and personnel.  In 1996 he was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas.  In May 1997 he served a tour in Saudi Arabia and received the Air Force Expeditionary Medal.  After attending training at Keesler Air Force Base Biloxi, Mississippi in 1998, he was stationed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma at Tinker Air Force Base.  Here he served aboard the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control (AWAC) Boeing 707 surveillance aircraft flying missions around the world to include: two tours in Turkey, a tour in the Caribbean, and a tour in Saudi Arabia.  He received the Air Force Achievement Medal, two Air Force Aerial Achievement medals and the rank of E-5 Staff Sergeant while in Oklahoma.  In May 1999 the worst tornado in the history of the United States hit Oklahoma City destroying hundreds of homes and leaving families without shelter.  Benjamin took two weeks leave from the Air Force to volunteer service helping clean-up after the storm and helping to repair several damaged homes.  He received the Air Force Humanitarian Service Medal for his deeds during this time.  In 2002 after being honorably discharged from active duty and transferred to the Air Force Reserves,  he moved back to Petal, Mississippi and served two years in the reserves with the Hurricane Hunter’s at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi.  During this time, he attended college at Jones County Community College in Ellisville, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gulfport, the Community College of the Air Force, and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.  He graduated in December 2003 with three Associated in Science degrees, a Minor in Business Administration and Safety, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management.  He graduated with Highest Honors and was granted membership in the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society.  In 2004 he started work with London and Stetelman Realtors receiving his Mississippi Real Estate Salesperson License in August.