As the eldest of eight children, Benjamin Fitisemanu was born in American Samoa, surrounded by water in the “Cradle of Polynesia,” where he learned to hunt, swim, endure the elements, and thrive. At a young age, it fell on Ben to provide for his siblings and protect them. It was a responsibility Ben accepted with courage and that yielded accountability, selflessness, and self-discipline — skills that would serve him well throughout his career as a United States Navy SEAL.
At age 10, the change of being uprooted from Ben's island home and relocated to the Midwest provided him the opportunity to diversify, grow, and develop. Ben's family moved a dozen times before he finished high school, forcing him to continually adapt and evolve. Ben's performance as an athlete became social currency, his life thus far appearing tailor-made for the Teams. But the adversity of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training is something no amount of living can prepare one for, and a severe injury cut Ben's experience short the first time through. With perseverance, he recovered, trained, reentered the program in a new class, and graduated.
Over his 16 years of service, Ben deployed to Europe, Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq. One of his specialties was reconnaissance, where he honed his instincts and experience to ensure the safety of his fellow SEALs before they arrived on-target. During his career, Ben received two Bronze Stars, both with Valor; the Purple Heart; the Navy Commendation Medal; and the Navy Achievement Medal. Ben retired as a Chief Petty Officer.
