Andrew "AJ" Benson was raised on a small farm in South Dakota and graduated from the University of North Dakota (UND). AJ joined the US Border Patrol, where he spent 25 years traveling through states and patrolling the border with every vehicle possible until taking to the air. He assisted with DHS operations with both airplanes and helicopters, and retired in 2021. AJ then came out of retirement to join the Pifer's team in 2024 to help move the crew across the Upper Midwest.