Dan Benton was born on May 12, 1971, in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 9, 1992, and completed basic training at RTC Orlando, Florida, in September 1992. After completing Apprenticeship Training at Orlando, AN Benton served as a Fuel Handler aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) from October 1992 to April 1997, followed by service as a Training and Supply Petty Officer at NAS Jacksonville and NAS Cecil Field, Florida, from May 1997 to September 1999. His next assignment was as a Fuel System Supervisor aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) from December 1999 to April 2003, and then as a Fuel Systems Afloat Instructor with the Air Department, Naval Air Technical Training Center, at NAS Pensacola, Florida, from May 2003 to May 2004. CPO Benton's final assignment was as Carrier Maintenance Supervisor aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) from June 2004 until he was honorably discharged from the Navy on September 30, 2006.