Don Bendell

{{Infobox writer

| name = Don Bendell

| image = PUBLICITYPHOTODONBENDELL.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|1|8}}

| birth_place = Akron, Ohio, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Author
karate instructor
cowboy
rancher

}}

| education = Colorado Christian University (BS)
Grand Canyon University (MS)

| genre = Western, war, military thriller, history, romance, science fiction, biography, memoir

| spouse = Janet S. Barbera Sullivan Bendell{{cite news|title=Wedding: Dr. Janet Bendell weds Don Bendell|url=https://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/2017/09/22/wedding-dr-janet-sullivan-don-bendell/|date=September 21, 2017}}

| children = 6

| awards =

}}

Don Bendell (born January 8, 1947) is an American author, rancher, tracker, and Vietnam combat veteran.{{cite news|last=Tribble|first=Bob|title=Character, Integrity And Morals Make a Man|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HTM5AAAAIBAJ&sjid=KBUGAAAAIBAJ&pg=2466,1125252&dq=don-bendell&hl=en|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=Talbotton New Era|date=April 2, 2004}}{{cite news|title=Tracks tell of hiker's fate Rancher traces steps to body|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=CSGB&d_place=CSGB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F34B902A53A569B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)|date=May 26, 1998}}{{cite news|title=Navajo Police Not Giving Up Their Pursuit Of 2 Fugitives|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ejtOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yOwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6747,2807521&dq=don-bendell&hl=en|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=The Deseret News|date=July 7, 1998}} He has published 31 books and assisted in exposing former Atlantic City Mayor Bob Levy's claims of serving as a Green Beret as false.{{Cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2007-10-14/news/25231904_1_military-impostors-military-memorabilia-veterans/3 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131050052/http://articles.philly.com/2007-10-14/news/25231904_1_military-impostors-military-memorabilia-veterans/3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 31, 2013 |title=How mayor of A.C. was exposed as impostor Increased national scrutiny led Bob Levy to admit he was no Green Beret |publisher=philly.com |date=February 11, 2004 |access-date=2012-10-08}}

Bendell was born in Akron, Ohio, and has had his work published in The American Spectator.{{cite web|last=Bendell|first=Don|title=Abandoned Brothers|url=http://spectator.org/archives/2004/04/21/abandoned-brothers|publisher=American Spectator|access-date=November 20, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728132032/http://spectator.org/archives/2004/04/21/abandoned-brothers|archivedate=July 28, 2013}} Bendell is a grand master instructor in five martial arts,{{Cite web|url=https://wwmaa.org/wwmaa-online-database/#membership-directory/?view_33_page=1&view_33_search=Don%20Bendell |title=World Wide Martial Arts Association Don Bendell Martial Arts|publisher=wwmaa.org |date= |access-date=2023-09-28}}{{Cite web|url=https://blackbeltmag.com/military-self-defense-strategies-for-stopping-an-armed-attack |title=Blackbelt Magazine Article on Military Self Defense|publisher=blackbeltmag.com |date= |access-date=2019-04-08}} and is a 1995 inductee into the International Karate & Kickboxing Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wujiaquan.com/fame.htm |title=International Karate & Kickboxing Hall of Fame |publisher=Wujiaquan.com |date= |access-date=2012-10-08}}

Education

Bendell has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Colorado Christian University and a Master of Science in Business from the Ken Blanchard College of Business in Grand Canyon University.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

Politics

In November 2016, Bendell spoke and was master of ceremonies at the largest rally in Colorado introducing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. One week earlier he was an Emcee and introduced Eric J. Trump at Colorado Christian University in Denver.{{cite news|last1=Lavender|first1=Paige|title=Speaker At Donald Trump Rally Jokes About Hillary Clinton Being A B***h|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/don-bendell-hillary-clinton_us_581ea9b6e4b0e80b02ca9284|access-date=November 6, 2016|publisher=Huffington Post|date=November 6, 2016}}{{cite news|last1=Hickey|first1=Chuck|title=Mike Pence, Eric Trump to campaign in Colorado this week|url=http://kdvr.com/2016/10/26/mike-pence-eric-trump-to-campaign-in-colorado-this-week/|access-date=November 6, 2016|publisher=KDVR|date=October 26, 2016}}

In 2018, Bendell ran as a Republican for the Colorado House of Representatives and was narrowly defeated by his Democratic opponent, Brianna Buentello.{{cite web |url=https://www.chieftain.com/news/20181203/gop-challenging-vote-county-in-house-district-47 |date=December 3, 2018 |title=GOP challenging vote county in House District 47 |work=The Pueblo Chieftain |author=Peter Roper}}

Bibliography

=Fiction=

==Chief of Scouts series==

Chief of Scouts (1995){{cite web|title=Fiction Review: Chief of Scouts|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-451-17690-5|publisher=Publishers Weekly|access-date=November 20, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Review: Chief of Scouts|url=http://www.booklistonline.com/Chief-of-Scouts-Don-Bendell/pid=293884|publisher=Booklist Online|access-date=November 20, 2012}}
Horse Soldiers (1995)
Colt (1995)'' (1995)
Justis Colt (1995)
Matched Colts (1997){{cite news|title=Former Robeson Author Releases Book|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SbM_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=6FYMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6701,242613&dq=don-bendell&hl=en|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=The Robesonian|date=July 1, 1997}}
Blazing Colts (1999)
Coyote Run (1995)
Warrior (1995)
Eagle (1995)
War Bonnet (2002)

==Criminal Investigation Detachment==

Criminal Investigation Detachment (2006)
Broken Borders (2006)
Bamboo Battleground (2007)

==Strongheart series==

Strongheart: A Story of the Old West (2011)
Blood Feather (2013)
The Indian Ring (2016)
''The Rider of Phantom Canyon (2016)

==Military Thriller==

Detachment Delta (2009)

==Science fiction==

Don Bendell writing under the pen name Ron Stillman

Tracker (1990)
Tracker 2: Green Lightning (1990)
Tracker 3: Blood Money (1991)
Tracker 4: Black Phantom (1991)
Tracker 5: Firekill (1991)
Tracker 6: Death Hunt (1991)

=Non-fiction=

Crossbow (1990)
The B-52 Overture (1992){{cite web|title=Non-fiction Review: The B-52 Overture|url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-440-21138-9|publisher=Publishers Weekly|access-date=November 20, 2012}}
Valley of Tears (1993)
Snake Eater: Characters in and Stories about the U. S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam (1994){{cite news|title=AUTHOR WEARS COAT OF MANY DIVERSE COLORS WAR, FAMILY MEMBERS INSPIRED HIS LIFE AND CAREER|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AK&s_site=ohio&p_multi=AK&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EE533AD44E8E1B1&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal (OH)|date=May 22, 1994}}
VALLEY OF TEARS: Assault Into the Plei Trap Valley (2010){{cite news|title=Canon City writer tells plight of dwindling tribe in Vietnam|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=NewsLibrary&p_multi=CSGB&d_place=CSGB&p_theme=newslibrary2&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F34BC351ACAE1C4&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|access-date=November 20, 2012|newspaper=Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)|date=July 8, 1990}}
Tracks of Hope: A Memoir (2011)
Real Men are Cowboys and Women Love Them co-written with Dr. Janet Bendell (2019)