BEN ROSE SPEAKER’S BACKGROUND

       Ben Rose served as a US Navy officer from 1961 to 1966.

       From 1961 to 1965 he served aboard the destroyer USS JAMES C. OWENS (DD 776), conducting Atlantic anti-submarine patrols, making three Mediterranean deployments with the Sixth Fleet, and carrying out Guantanamo Bay harbor defense patrols in the aftermath of the Cuban missile crisis.

       In 1965 and 1966, Ben ted the first US Navy river patrol unit to see combat in Vietnam. His unit conducted river patrols and landed, covered, and extracted Marine Corps reconnaissance units and Navy Seal ambush teams. Ben received the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for this service.

       In 1968, during a summer break from law school, Ben returned to active duty for three months as riverine desk officer on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon. Ben served in the Naval Reserve from 1966 to 1983.

       Ben is a former Lima City prosecutor. He was the state representative from Allen

County from 1973 to 1986. During his last six years in the legislature Ben served as Assistant Republican Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives. From 1990 to 1993, Ben was Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations and Environment under President George H. W. Bush. After returning from Washington, he was Ohio’s Assistant Director of Health under Governor George Voinovich.

      Ben is currently Chairman of the Ohio Ethics Commission. He also practices law and does on-air political analysis for Lima’ s Clear Channel WIMA radio.