Colonel Phillip Herbert Bender was commissioned as an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School class 2-84 on 27 April, 1984. His first duty assignment was as a Rifle Platoon Leader, Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

His notable duty assignments were: Mortar Platoon Leader, 1st Battalion/5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division; Assistant Adjutant, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division; Commander, 181st Military Intelligence Detachment, Camp Zama, Japan; Chief of Research Analysis and Offensive Counterintelligence Case Officer, United States Army Foreign Counterintelligence Attachment, Fort Meade, Maryland; Offensive Counterintelligence Operations Team Chief, Detachment 15, United States Air Force Counterintelligence Association, Augsburg, Germany; Commander, Detachment 16, United States Air Force Counterintelligence Association, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Operations Officer, United States Army Foreign Counterintelligence Activity, Fort Meade, Maryland; Senior Service College Fellow to the Central Intelligence Agency; Chief, Current Operations, Army Defense Clandestine Service, Pentagon; CJ2X, Combined Joint Task Force-76, Bagram, Afghanistan; Chief of Counterintelligence, Army Defense Clandestine Service G2, Pentagon. His last duty assignment was served as Commander, United States Army Foreign Counterintelligence Activity, Fort Meade, Maryland.

His military education consists of: Infantry Officer Basic Course; Military Intelligence Officer Advanced Course; Combined Armed Services School; Command and General Staff Officer Course; Military Operations Training Course; Advanced Foreign Counterintelligence Training Course; United States Army War College.

His highest military awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, and the Meritorious Service Medal (5^th Award).