HAMPTON — The Hamptons American Legion Post 35 recently elected two former military and commercial pilots as their commander and vice commander for the coming year.
Berk Bennett will continue to serve as commander, with Chris Nevins named vice commander.
Bennett was first elected as the commander in 2014 and is beginning his 11th year in command. He previously served as the historian for three years and the vice commander for two.
Bennett is a native of East Hampton, New York, and a graduate of the SUNY Maritime College, earning a Merchant Marine license. Joining the Naval Reserves, he received his wings after flight training in Pensacola, Florida, and served as a helicopter pilot on several carrier groups, including one that supported Marines ashore in Beirut, Lebanon.
Later, he became a flight instructor, and in 1987, Bennett left active duty and retired from the Naval Reserves in 2002. With 2800 hours of fixed wing and rotary wing time in Naval Service, he logged another 20,000 hours as a pilot for American Airlines over a 32-year career, retiring as a captain on the Boeing 737-800 in 2021.
As commander, Bennett is proud of engaging students in the local schools to teach the importance of patriotism and the sacrifices of veterans.
He touted the significant efforts of the members of the Legion who sponsor Wounded Warriors Hit The Beach, led by Ralph Fatello, and the annual ceremony for the Global War on Terrorism Monument observation in memory of N.H. servicemen and women who have died in service.
The group also assist in the Wreaths Across America each December and The Run For The Fallen each September in Waterville Valley. The Post is the charter organization of Boy Scout Troop 177.
Nevins and his wife, Eileen, an attorney, have lived in Hampton for 47 years and are the parents of three boys, three daughters-in-law, five grandchildren, and four step-grandchildren.
He graduated from Parks College of Saint Louis University in 1967 with a bachelor of science in aeronautics from the University of Southern California and the USAF Air Command and Staff College in 1987. He was an Air Force pilot from 1968-1973, with Vietnam service in 1969-70. From 1974-77, he was an Aircraft Commander of a C-7A Transport Aircraft and a N.H. National Guard pilot on a KC-135 “tanker” Air refueling Aircraft. He ended his flying career as a domestic and international captain in 2003 with Delta Airlines.
Following retirement, he served in the N.H. House of Representatives from 2007-12 and was on the Municipal and County Committee in 2007 and the Commerce and Affairs Committee from 2008-12.
Nevins joined Post 35 in 2006. He served the Boy Scouts as Assistant Scout Master from 1974-2002, the N.H. Voices for Health Board as a member and was the vice chairman and then chairman of the Aviation Users Advisory Board in N.H. from 2014-2022.
Nevins is proud to be a member of Post 35 and feels the membership is close to the community and willing to serve when requested. Further, he feels the Post has been able to bring the concepts of patriotism, military history and service to the community, especially to school children during the annual visits to the local schools.
He also considers it a “privilege” to work with Bennett.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Veteran pilots take helm at Hamptons American Legion Post 35
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