COL Leo E. Bradley III

COL Leo Bradley was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry in 1986 after graduation from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Science. After several successful assignments as both an Infantry Officer and a Support Operations and Ammunition Officer, COL Bradley commanded the 61st Ordnance Company for over 3 years.

Among COL Bradley’s many notable achievements include leading a 1500-person Combined Joint Task Force charged with defeating the improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan resulting in a 30% increase in IEDs found and a 10% decrease in casualties; leading a 1800-person Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Group located on 19 Army installations across 22 States in the western United States, responding to over 1,000 highly dangerous explosive incidents without injury or damage; Coordinating and implementing Department of Defense policy for EOD and humanitarian mine action, resulting in a 50% increase in mine action missions around the world; leading a 500-person Ordnance Battalion (EOD) completing over 16,000 EOD missions, including 3,600 IEDs, 110 Vehicle Borne IEDs, recovered forensic evidence from over 1,700 events and destroyed over 750,000 pieces of ordnance with a net explosive weight of 522,000 pounds or about 626 short tons during the year they were deployed.

Whether in command or serving as Chief, EOD Division, HQDA G3; Chief, EOD and Humanitarian Mine Action, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict, or as the Army Military Representative to the DoD Explosives Safety Board, COL Bradley served as a thoughtful leader who sparked major changes in the EOD career field.