Lieutenant Colonel Mark Bender, USA (ret.) “military career took him from the cobweb world of military intelligence to the high-speed destructive power of mechanized infantry. A graduate of the Army War College, Bender earned the Master of Military Art and Science degree, and served as an award-winning instructor at the U.S. Military’s premier problem-solving school. His primary focus was in the Human Resources arena, where he gained valuable experience in leadership and management, team-building, sales, and customer service.”

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Bender is the author of Operation Excellence: Succeeding in Business and Life -- the U.S. Military Way; Train Tough the Army Way: 50 Sports Strategies to Out-Think, Out-Train, and Out-Perform Your Competition; and, Trial by Basketball.

According to the book description of Train Tough the Army Way: 50 Sports Strategies to Out-Think, Out-Train, and Out-Perform Your Competition, “In this hard-hitting, no-nonsense guide, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Bender offers athletes the proven mental-training techniques developed by the military to prepare warriors for battle. An accomplished athlete, award-winning coach, and former athletic director for the European Allied Forces, Bender used these same techniques to prepare 10,000 soldiers for Operation Desert Storm. His mission in Train Tough the Army Way is to shape the way athletes think in order to improve their performance in any sport.

Taking the practical, no-holds-barred approach one would expect from a military physical trainer, Bender tells readers how to get their minds right, prepare for competition, work effectively as team members, deal with distractions, hone a warrior's winner-take-all attitude, and more. By following the mental-conditioning techniques described in this book, readers will be poised to meet any athletic challenge, crush the competition, and have a great time doing it.”

According to the book description of Operation Excellence: Succeeding in Business and Life -- the U.S. Military Way, “Operation Excellence shows you how to harness success strategies of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines and apply them to every facet of your life. You'll learn how the "Arsenal of Victory" -- discipline, confidence, and sacrifice will bring you superior results in leadership and business, wealth and success, health, and personal relationships. This highly motivational book takes you inside the world of the US Military, giving you 50 proven strategies for taking control of your life and achieving your objectives.”

According to the book description of Trial by Basketball, “Mark Bender knows sports -- and how to apply lessons learned there to business and self enrichment.  Trial By Basketball took Bender inside the world of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty as he explored the life of Coach Tex Winter, architect of the famed triangle offense. When Winter departed the Bulls for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bender was invited to observe Laker practices in a season that netted the team the first of three consecutive world championships.

The foreword to Trial By Basketball was written by Laker coach Phil Jackson. “Watching Phil Jackson with the Lakers was a priceless experience,” commented Bender, “he uses examples from outside of basketball, which is exactly the point I’m trying to make.”