Ben is a golfing companion of former Petty Officer Erin Toner. When NCIS Special Agent Caitlin Todd arrived to interview Toner, Ben seemed annoyed at the fact that she had been allowed access into a private golf club as well as the fact that she had no knowledge of golf or the rules and was probably ready to berate her but Kate then revealed her NCIS badge and standard-issue gun which was how she had managed to gain access to the golf course in the first place without resorting to violence or deception of any kind.