Ben is an educated Marine veteran with 18 years of experience in professional leadership who served in support of Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom as an Aviation Electrician with Marine Attack Squadron VMA-231 from 1999 to 2004. Upon being discharged from the military Mr. Armstrong received his undergraduate degree from Texas State University and his Master of Public Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

He served as the inaugural Director of Veteran Services for the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) from 2011 to 2014. At UT Austin he worked with the University to development and implement the University’s nationally recognized Veteran Services Plan. In 2014 Ben was appointed as the Finance and Administration Chief with the City of New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness where he planned, developed, and managed the City’s $52 million annual security budget and special projects.

Ben is an active member of the New Orleans VFW Post 8973. Since 2014 he has served in various leadership roles, supported the Post in their $600,000 renovation of their historic building, and in April of 2017, he was elected Post Commander.

Ben is the Louisiana Regional Manager for NextOp a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in Houston, Texas. Ben was named to his current position in October 2017.