brian is running on the cowboy code of the west: tell the truth and take care of your neighbor.

Brian Bengs grew up in a blue-collar family in rural northern Iowa. In high school he delivered newspapers every morning and detasseled corn in the summer. A member of his high school’s final graduating class, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy immediately after graduation and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63).

At the end of his enlistment, he returned home and used the GI Bill to obtain a bachelor’s degree in history from Iowa State University where he met his wife of 30 years. Brian then attended law school at the University of Iowa where he graduated with distinction. After passing the bar exam, he returned to active military service with the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps.

Brian ultimately spent 19 years living and working all over the U.S., as well as Japan, Germany, Kuwait, and Qatar before retiring as a lieutenant colonel. His two daughters (a college senior in Air Force ROTC and 2025 Truman scholar, and a college sophomore) were born into the nomadic military lifestyle. During his Air Force career, he completed a master’s degree in history at Louisiana Tech University and a master of laws degree in international and comparative law at The George Washington University Law School before going on to teach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, International Institute of Humanitarian Law, and NATO School Oberammergau.

In 2016, Brian and his family settled in Aberdeen, South Dakota, where he taught criminal justice, government, and homeland security courses at Northern State University and his wife was the academic advisor for the School of Business. They chose Aberdeen to give their daughters the same midwestern childhood experience they both enjoyed. Aberdeen was the longest Brian has lived anywhere since leaving his parent’s home for the Navy.

In 2024, Brian, his wife and two dogs (Prairie and Meadow) relocated to Hot Springs, South Dakota, to enjoy the beauty and serenity of small town life in the Black Hills. Expecting a relaxing retirement, he returned to public service working as a Wind Cave National Park Ranger.

When Elon Musk’s DOGE purge of the National Park Service began Brian decided that it was once again time to step into the political arena. Brian’s diverse experience and education gives him a keen understanding of the way our government was created and has evolved. His military approach to problems (OODA) gives him the opportunity to see a better path forward where hyper partisanship does not threaten the stability of our republic.

Learn more about Brian