She felt like she was floating on air.
Navy helicopter pilot Lt. Jennifer Benny, one of the courageous women featured in the upcoming 2025 Pinup calendar for veterans, expressed excitement about the glamorous aspect of being a calendar girl.
“I had never experienced such pampering before. I felt incredibly beautiful—like, ‘Wow, is that really me?'” remarked Benny, 47, as Veterans Day approached.
Originally from North Carolina, Benny served two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2000 and 2003. While posing beside a 1945 Chrysler Town & Country, she shared a bit about its historical significance.
“That was the last model to feature wood because metal was needed for the war. I really appreciate that,” she noted.
“I also enjoyed honoring pin-up culture and learning how it helped lift spirits during World War II.”
Before the mid-’90s, women were largely barred from combat roles, and Benny, whose maiden name is Mitchell (like Tom Cruise’s character in Top Gun), said changing perceptions was one of the highlights of her career.
“I had guys tell me, ‘Mr. Mitchell, I never liked military women, but you’re different,’” she laughed.
“I didn’t pave the way, but I certainly helped to smooth the path.”
Benny, who hails from a family steeped in military tradition, graduated top of her class from flight school, outperforming her male peers.
“I outdid everyone in the swimming test. You have to swim a mile in full gear, and I always managed to carry a guy on my back,” she recalled.
Just days before receiving her wings in 2001, the 9/11 attacks stunned the nation, and she was sent to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.
Benny took the time to visit Ground Zero with her cousins before departing. Though it was late, she approached an officer to ask about getting an NYPD patch.
“I told him, ‘I’m a Navy pilot, heading to San Diego, and I’d love to wear this patch.’ He just tore it off his uniform for me,” she said.
“I never got his name, but I proudly wore that patch on every mission.”
As a helicopter pilot on a small Naval ship—essentially the Navy’s sole aviation personnel—Benny had a dynamic role.
“I had to be skilled at landing the helicopter on what feels like a tiny stamp on the ocean,” she explained.
“Our flights could last eight hours and I never really knew what to expect—whether it would be surveillance, search and rescue, or responding to medical emergencies.”
Now residing in Millington, Tennessee, Benny lives with her husband Scott, a Navy commander, and has earned a master’s degree in history thanks to the GI Bill.
As a mother of three, she also runs a YouTube channel where she offers historical site tours.
Although she keeps a low profile on Veterans Day, Benny honors the sacrifices of fellow service members by visiting veterans’ homes throughout the year.
“I make a point to see veterans who may not have anyone visiting them,” she shared. “Walking in brings so much joy to their faces.”
