CW5 Bernier was born in St. Louis, Missouri in September 1981. He enlisted in the Army in July 2002 as a 14E, Patriot Fire Control Enhanced Operator/Maintainer. In October 2007, he received his Warrant Officer appointment as a 140E Air and Missile Defense Tactician/Technician.

CW5 Bernier’s military education includes Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina; 14E Advanced Individual Training; US Army Airborne School; 33W Military Intelligence Systems Maintainer/Integrator Advanced Individual Training; Warrant Officer Basic Course; Air Defense Artillery Fire Control Officer Course; Patriot Top Gun; Army Space Cadre Basic Course; Warrant Officer Advanced Course; Warrant Officer Intermediate Level Education; and Warrant Officer Senior Service Education.

His awards and decorations include Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Army Commendation Medal (four awards), Army Achievement Medal (seven awards), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

He holds an Associate’s degree in General Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business from the American Military University.

CW5 Bernier is married to CW3 Regina Bhattacharya of Houston,  Texas. He has two daughters, Mia (18), and stepdaughter Priya (14). 

 He has served as the Senior Tactician/Planner in two of the very first Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries at Fort Bliss, Texas; Senior Technical Advisor at a Forward Based Mode radar site in Shariki, Japan; the first instructor/writer for the 140K Air and Missile Defense Tactician Warrant Officer Basic Course; Strategic Standardization Officer for 32d AAMDC (2x) at Fort Bliss, Texas; Strategic Standardization Officer for 94th AAMDC at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; and Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) Systems Integrator at the Army Capabilities Manager-Divisional Air Defense (ACM-DIVAD) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.