Col Benjamin Venning graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and was commissioned via the Officer Candidate Course in 1996. Designated as an Assault Amphibian Officer in 1997, he operated and commanded at every level in the Assault Amphibian Community.  Col Venning served as an AAV Platoon Commander assigned to the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion and deployed with BLT 3/6, 22nd MEU from 1999 to 2000. He was then assigned as a Staff Platoon Commander at The Basic School from June 2000 to June 2003. Col Venning then attended the Armor Captains Career Course at Ft. Knox, KY. Col Venning then commanded Company A, 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion and deployed with RCT 1 to Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II in 2004. In September 2005, he was selected for the CMC Legislative Fellowship, and served as a Legislative Fellow for the Assistant Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate. Subsequently, Col Venning served as the Deputy Director, Marine Corps Senate Liaison Office in Washington DC from January 2007 to January 2009. His next assignment was Inspector-Instructor, 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion in Norfolk VA from February 2009 to May 2011. Col Venning then deployed to Djibouti and reported to Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, J-5 Directorate, to serve as a country planner for Sudan and Somalia from July 2011 until April 2012. Upon returning to Camp Lejeune, he reported to II MEF (FWD), C-3 Directorate, to serve as the Security Force Assistance Coordinator and deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from Jan 2013 to November 2013.  In 2014, Col Venning reported to HQMC Quantico, VA and was assigned as the Operations Officer, Marine Corps Force Integration Office in Quantico VA, responsible for implementing the Marine Corps gender integration policy. In 2015, he assumed command of the Assault Amphibian School Battalion at Camp Pendleton CA. Following battalion command in 2017, Col Venning reported to the Eisenhower School, National Defense University for Top Level School and earned a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy.   In 2018, he reported to Pentagon and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Operational Testing and Evaluation Directorate, to serve as a Senior Military Evaluator for Combat Vehicle Systems, focused on Army and Marine Corps Combat Vehicle operational testing. In June 2021, Col Venning deployed in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation INHERENT RESOLVE in Baghdad, Iraq, serving as the Chief of Operations (CJ33). Upon returning to CONUS in July 2022, Col Venning reported to the Commander, U.S. Second Fleet in Norfolk VA, to serve as the Fleet Marine Officer and Assistant Chief of Staff, N-5 Plans. In March 2023, Col Venning reported to his current assignment, and assumed command of the Assault Amphibian School and Center of Excellence, U.S. Marine Corps Training Command at Camp Pendleton CA.

Col Venning is a graduate of the Assault Amphibian Officer Course, Expeditionary Warfare School, Armor Captains Career Course, USMC Legislative Fellowship Program, Joint, Interagency, Multinational Planner Course – Joint Forces Staff College, the USMC Command and Staff College, and the Eisenhower School for National Resource Strategy.

His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (4^th Award), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3^rd Award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.