# Frank M. Bradley

Frank Mitchell Bradley is a United States Navy vice admiral and commander of Joint Special Operations Command since August 10, 2022. He most recently served as the commander of Special Operations Command Central from 20 July 2020 to 1 July 2022. Prior to that, he served as the assistant commander of Joint Special Operations Command from 2018 to 2020.

## Early life and education

Bradley was born and raised in Eldorado, Texas. He graduated from Eldorado High School in 1987 and was accepted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where he had studied physics and was a varsity gymnast. He graduated from the academy and earned his commission in 1991.
Bradley also earned a Master of Science degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California in December 2005, and received a provisional patent for his research in 2006. His master's thesis was entitled Transport imaging for the study of quantum scattering phenomena in next generation semiconductor devices. Bradley also received the Monterey Council Navy League Award for Highest Academic Achievement and the Naval Sea Systems Command Award for Excellence in Combat Systems for his thesis research.

## Military career

After graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1991, he then immediately applied for SEAL selection and graduated from Basic Under Water Demolitions/SEAL training (BUD/S) with class 179 in 1992. His operational assignments from 1992 to 1999 include, assistant platoon commander and platoon commander tours at SEAL Team Four and SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two. He also served as an international exchange officer with the Italian COMSUBIN or Italian SEALs. In 1999, Bradley volunteered for assignment to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (commonly known as DEVGRU or SEAL Team Six) and completed a specialized selection and training course known as Green Team. There he operated, rehearsed, and planned clandestine operations. At DEVGRU, he also held numerous leadership positions from 1999 until 2015, which included element leader, troop commander, squadron operations officer, operations officer, squadron commander, deputy commanding officer, and finally, commanding officer from 2013 to 2015. He was also among the first American and coalition troops to deploy to Afghanistan following the attacks on 11 September 2001, and he has deployed consistently since in support of the war on terror. His staff duty from 2016 to 2018 has included service as JSOC’s J-3 Technical Operations division chief and deputy J-3; vice deputy director for Global Operations for the Joint Staff J-3; executive officer for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. and the deputy director for CT Strategy for the Joint Staff J-5. He also served as assistant commander of JSOC from 2018 to 2020 before taking the post as commander of Special Operations Command Central from 2020 to 2022.
In May 2022, Bradley was nominated for promotion to vice admiral and assigned as Commander, Joint Special Operations Command. In August 2022, Bradley was promoted and took command of Joint Special Operations Command.

## Awards and decorations

| Badge | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia | Special Warfare insignia |
| 1st row | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Defense Superior Service Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit | Legion of Merit |
| 2nd row | Bronze Star with "V" device and 3 5⁄16 inch stars (4 awards with valor) | Bronze Star with "V" device and 3 5⁄16 inch stars (4 awards with valor) | Bronze Star with "V" device and 3 5⁄16 inch stars (4 awards with valor) | Bronze Star with "V" device and 3 5⁄16 inch stars (4 awards with valor) | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal | Meritorious Service Medal |
| 3rd row | Joint Service Commendation Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Joint Service Commendation Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Joint Service Commendation Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Joint Service Commendation Medal with 2 Oak leaf clusters (3 awards) | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) | Joint Service Achievement Medal with 1 Oak leaf cluster (2 awards) |
| 4th row | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 1 5⁄16 inch star (2 awards) | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 1 5⁄16 inch star (2 awards) | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 1 5⁄16 inch star (2 awards) | Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 1 5⁄16 inch star (2 awards) | Combat Action Ribbon | Combat Action Ribbon | Combat Action Ribbon | Combat Action Ribbon | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Service stars | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Service stars | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Service stars | Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Service stars |
| 5th row | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak leaf cluster | Meritorious Unit Commendation | Meritorious Unit Commendation | Meritorious Unit Commendation | Meritorious Unit Commendation | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star | National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service star |
| 6th row | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal | Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| 7th row | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Armed Forces Service Medal | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 1 silver and 3 bronze Campaign stars | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 1 silver and 3 bronze Campaign stars | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 1 silver and 3 bronze Campaign stars | Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 1 silver and 3 bronze Campaign stars | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon | Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon |
| 8th row | NATO Medal for Ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for Ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for Ex-Yugoslavia | NATO Medal for Ex-Yugoslavia | Marksmanship Medal for Rifle Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Rifle Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Rifle Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Rifle Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Pistol Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Pistol Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Pistol Expert | Marksmanship Medal for Pistol Expert |
| Badge | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia | Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist Insignia |
| Badge | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia | U.S. Navy Command at Sea insignia |
| Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge | Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge |

## Personal life

Bradley is the son of Frank M. "Pancho" Bradley, a World War II US Army Air Corps veteran. Bradley and his wife Katherine have a daughter and three sons. Their son Frank graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2020.