For 13 years, Major Alexandra Benda served at the highest levels of the U.S. Marine Corps, flying CH-53E Super Stallions and ultimately earning the rare distinction of piloting Marine One, the helicopter that carries the President of the United States.

As a Weapons and Tactics Instructor and later as a member of the Presidential Helicopter Squadron (HMX-1), Alex navigated some of the most complex and high-stakes missions in military aviation. But her story doesn’t end in the cockpit.

Between missions, Alex would unload her gravel bike from the belly of C-17s and ride wherever she landed—grinding through new terrain with the same determination she brought to the flight line.

That commitment paid off in 2024, when she claimed the U.S. National Gravel Championship in her age group and powered her way into a top-10 finish at the UCI Gravel World Championships—despite a brutal crash early in the race that left her riding from dead last.

Now, Alex is forging a new path in defense technology, using her operational experience to develop cutting-edge software that supports the next generation of service members. Her mission-first mindset extends beyond the military: she coaches with Payne Cycling and Performance Coaching, races with the support of Pactimo Custom, and champions community-based cycling initiatives, including Wee Wheel, a Richmond-based startup dedicated to getting more kids on bikes.

With four overall race wins already in 2025, Alex is proving that her second chapter may be even more relentless than her first. Whether on two wheels or leading innovation for those in uniform, she continues to push limits, elevate others, and ride with purpose.