 Pender akanyoresa muU.S. Army pazera remakore 17 uye gare gare akapfuura neOfficer Candidate School OCS; akanga ari murwi wehondo yeVietnam War uye akashanda kwemakore 21, achirega basa aine chinzvimbo chakaputeni muna 1976. Pakuvamba mubasa rake rehondo, Pender akatanga mitambo, uko kukurumidza kwake kusingadaviriki kwakacherechedzwa mumitambo yenhabvu yemusasa. Kufambira mberi kwake kwakanga kuchishamisa uye akasarudzwa kuti apinde muChikwata cheOlympic cha1964, asi akaremara uye akapedza ari wechinomwe mumamita 100kuTokyo. 