Membership Notes

Dave Bradley: A Lifelong Commitment To Service

BY DALE SPRUSANSKY

Be it as a soldier or as a civilian, Dave Bradley dedicated his life to protecting his nation and the honor of his fellow troops. After serving two tours in Vietnam, Bradley spent twenty-two years as a sergeant in the Army and another twenty-two years as an advocate for veterans in his native Ohio. In 2005 Bradley, who is currently confined to a nursing facility, was forced to end his life of service due to the crippling effects of Parkinson’s disease.

A large man with a booming voice, Bradley was a stereotypical sergeant who could easily intimidate strangers. To those who knew him, however, Bradley was an outgoing, warm, and passionate man. “He had a very sensitive and kind nature,” his wife Suzanne said.

Serving as executive director of VVA’s Ohio State Council (later renamed the Buckeye State Council) from 1983-91 and as executive director of the Franklin County Veterans Services Commission from 1991-2005, Bradley’s focus and determination helped him achieve many things for Ohio’s veterans. Securing a U.S. Department of Labor grant that helped homeless veterans transition into the workforce, establishing VVA chapters in Ohio prisons, and obtaining a federal Agent Orange Class Assistance Program grant that helped veterans exposed to herbicides were his proudest accomplishments, his wife said.

Bradley’s belief that veterans “did not always get what they deserved” is what propelled him to commit his civilian life to advocating for veterans, Suzanne Bradley said. Having spent so many years in the military, he was “oriented toward veterans and knew they needed services,” she added. A familiar face to both state and national legislators, Bradley frequently lobbied on a wide array of veterans bills. Gaining funds from Congress for the construction of clinics for veterans in Columbus was his signature accomplishment as a lobbyist. Buckeye State Council President Tom Burke, who has worked with Bradley for many years, said: “Dave has been a force to be reckoned with. He knows the issues, and he knows what he wants for his veterans. Often, his testimony convinced legislators to give him what he wanted.”

Suzanne Bradley attributed her husband’s success as a lobbyist to his preparedness and his tenacity. “He always had the facts; he’d do his research,” she said. Burke added that Bradley’s cooperative nature helped him develop a good rapport with legislators. “Once you find common ground, he’s your best friend,” he said.

From 1996-97, Bradley served as interim national vice president for VVA after the resignation of his predecessor. VVA National President John Rowan praised the job Bradley did during his brief tenure. “That was a very tumultuous period, and Dave had a very steady hand,” Rowan said. “He was a real rock in an important position.”

In recognition of his lifelong service, Dave Bradley was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame on November 8. Created in 1992, the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding veterans who have continued to serve their community, state, and nation after their military service. No more than twenty veterans are inducted each year; to be included in the number is a very high honor.

“There was no one who deserved it any more than he did,” Suzanne Bradley said. While his induction made his family “extremely proud,” she said that it was also bittersweet, as Dave could not be present due to his deteriorating condition.

“I know it would have meant the absolute world to him,” she said.