People, ideas, technology. In that order. | Personal Account
Dallas, TX
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Deeply honored that the United States Senate confirmed me tonight to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower & Reserve Affairs.
I'm excited to soon serve our President, Secretary of War, Secretary of the Navy, and the American people.
America is worth defending!
Confirmed, 53-43: Confirmation of the en bloc nominations provided for under the provisions of S.Res.532.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
Incredibly grateful and humbled by our U.S. Navy and the crew of the USS Greeneville
It wasn’t the walkthrough of the nuclear propulsion or life systems that stood out the most for me, but the men and women who have volunteered a portion of their life to provide this capability for America
Go Navy 🇺🇸
Today I had the incredible honor of going to sea on the USS Greeneville, one of our nation’s Los Angeles class nuclear submarines.
We submerged to a depth of over 600ft as the crew demonstrated the awesome power of the onboard reactor, including steep turns and dives.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
Keep writing.
Keep posting.
You may think you’re yelling into the void. But you never know who is reading. And might take action on your insights.
In case you were wondering.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
For four days in 1967, 2ndLt James Capers led his Force Recon team against a larger enemy force. Badly wounded, he kept directing fires and refused evacuation until his Marines were safe.
Nearly six decades later, Maj. Capers received the Medal of Honor from President Trump.
Semper Fidelis, sir.
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Son: “this package is heavy”
Wife: “well, you need to eat your Wheaties.”
Son: “…what are wheat…ees?”
☠️
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The final boss for military AGI is consistently nailing time on target for Star Spangled Banner jet flyovers.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
Staff Sgt. Brendan Kuhlmann kept asking why Marines couldn’t repair GATOR components themselves.
He kept asking why. Eventually, his team got the chance.
Nearly $2M saved. 2,000+ days of downtime prevented.
Now he’s earned the CNO Gold Disk Award.
Sometimes innovation starts with refusing to accept: “We don’t do that.”
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Recruiting is going so well we’re already filling the 2038 pool.
*driving past Hampton Roads*
Wife: "Look boys! It's a battleship-thingie."
4 y/o son: "That's an amphib."
Wife: "Well, it's big and gray right?"
6 y/o son: "It's a San Antonio-class. It can carry a thousand Marines with hovercrafts."
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Three hours into the car ride home from NASA yesterday, my daughter asked “daddy, why are moon rocks clear?”
We were puzzled for a bit, but then realized she thought the plastic container holding the actual moon rock was a moon rock too!
It was a great question - and a good lesson in how the best science is done.
You gotta ask all the questions to orient yourself to reality.
Special thanks to longtime friend @AstroVicGlover for making the experience especially memorable.
Even on a day when the President awarded he and his Artemis crew the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, he was still focused on training the next generation to look to the stars.
A class act - and something my kids will never forget.
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20 years ago Jack and I went through flight school together.
17 years ago we flew into combat together - and he had one of the best mustaches on the ship.
14 years ago I visited him and his family in England when he was going through test pilot school with the Brits.
5 years ago I shot him an excited text when he was selected as an astronaut.
And now I got to watch him chat live with the President while he orbited earth on the International Space Station.
Fly Navy.
Meet incredible people.
And see them fly into the cosmos.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
America lost its oldest living Marine, Roy Drinkard, at 106.
He fought in the Pacific, came home, built businesses, created jobs, supported schools, and strengthened his community.
The uniform came off. The mission never did.
Semper Fidelis, Marine.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
No one gave Lance Cpl. Marshall Martinez an order.
He saw a hotel burning in Okinawa, went inside to wake sleeping occupants, then used his combat engineer training to find another way in when one person remained trapped.
“Don’t be a bystander. Jump toward action.”
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9 year old raising a pre-seed with a contested logistics thesis.
Serious inquiries only.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
This is CAPT (ret) Charlie Plumb. He spent 6 years in the Hoa Lo Prison as a prisoner of war from 1967 to 1973.
Charlie was a Navy F-4 pilot shot down after his 74th combat mission.
One of his fellow POWs was my Great Uncle, then-USAF Col David Winn.
Both returned with Honor after years of horrific conditions.
The legacy of Naval Aviation is defined by heroes.
At the annual Tailhook Reunion, each generation of naval aviators learns from and build relationships with those past and present.
Carrier aviation is the go-to crisis response and mobile combat force for Presidents, spanning more than 8 decades.
It’s aviators like Charlie, those that man the force today, and the scores of maintainers behind the scenes that fuel that capability.
Be part of something meaningful that spans generations.
Fly Navy.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
His MOS says automotive maintenance technician. It doesn’t say drone designer.
Sgt. Henry David Volpe built the @USMC’s first NDAA-compliant, NAVAIR-approved 3D-printed drone.
A billet tells us where someone serves, not the limits of what they can do.
America is Worth Defending. Meet the Reason.
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Ben Kohlmann 🇺🇸 retweeted
A phone call 70 years in the making.
Capt. Royce Williams fought alone against overwhelming odds, protected his shipmates, and came home.
More than 70 years later, our nation recognized his courage with its highest honor.
This is the fighting spirit we must never lose.
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America is worth defending.
Why you should join the Navy (military) as a young man:
When I was 18, I was a bum playing video games at my mom’s house, overweight, working as a garbage man, and had no social skills or confidence.
I was a loser.
At 18, I scored very low on the ASVAB (military entrance exam) and went off to boot camp. The Navy gave me drive and pushed me.
I was away from home for the first time in my life and got yelled at by everyone. I grew up fast. In the 13 weeks of boot camp I probably grew 10 years as a man. I learned discipline and gained a sense of purpose.
In 10 months I promoted from E-1 to E-4 (those are the ranks) all through meritorious promotions. I went from almost failing out of high school to becoming top of my military school for electronics. I learned how to learn, how to work freaking hard.
Not only that but I got in great physical shape too. I ran my first mile in my life the summer before boot camp! I started lifting weights and eating well.
I got to my first duty station on an aircraft carrier and hit the ground running. I learned I could apply to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis which seemed insane to me. That was a top school in the country.
But I grinded, put in an application and got picked up to go to the Naval Academy, 2 years after joining the Navy.
Just 2 years after living with my mom, being a bum and almost failing out of high school. Now I got a nomination from my Congressman to go to one of the top schools in the country.
In my first year at the Naval Academy I was ranked #1 out of 1000 in academics. And I ended up graduating with a degree in Computer Science.
Now I’m a Nuclear Submarine Officer, trained to run marine nuclear reactors and drive submarines. I have learned to lead teams of 30-70 people before the age of 30.
But how?
The Navy taught me several things that I did not get growing up as a young man:
1. Insane discipline - I learned how to stick with shit. In the Navy you can’t just quit.
2. Resilience - You learn to just deal with pain and suffering. Life isn’t easy and someone has to keep the ship going. Long hours and little sleep is the norm.
3. High standards - All around you are expected to keep your uniform in shape, boots polished, and hair kept well. Your appearance matters.
4. Show up early - In the military, if you are not 15 mins early, you’re late. This has taken me so far with all of my relationships.
5. Figure it out mentality - You don’t know? Okay go figure it out, whether it’s basic electronics, chemistry or nuclear physics, YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT. No one is too dumb.
6. Got me out of my hometown - I left where I grew up. I was forced to grow up. This holds so many guys back.
7…. There’s so many more things I could add.
But if you are young (18-23) I would join, even if it’s just 4 years. I get out next year and the Navy has given me so much: paid for my college, gave me confidence, crazy skills, how to operate a nuclear reactor, lead teams, etc. AND ALL from NOTHING.
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I was recently on a podcast and the host asked me what historical era I’d most want to go back to.
I immediately and unequivocally said “August 2026…or the future.”
There is no better time in existing human history to be alive than now.
Don’t miss that fact. Revel in it.
And we’re just getting started.
This might be the most beautiful thing I've read in my life. What a privilege to be alive in 2026.
ordinaryabundance.com
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