Proud Irishman and military veteran Christian Bradley will be Grand Marshall of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Hoosick Falls, Saturday, March 14, at 1 pm.
[private]With a family history that dates back to Ireland’s County Cork, Christian is the son and nephew of 2003 Grand Marshalls, Don and Phil Bradley. His Irish roots run even deeper; however, as his mother is Betty (Madigan) Bradley and his grandmother is a Dougherty. Christian resides on Johnson Hill Road with his wife Patricia (Moynihan) and daughters McKenzie and Keelyn. He currently serves in the military and will be retiring in May with the rank of Colonel.
Christian is a 1985 graduate of St. Mary’s Academy and a 1989 graduate of Siena College where he received his Army commission through the ROTC program. Following graduation, his first tour of duty was in Germany at the very end of the Cold War. He deployed from Nuremberg, Germany to the Persian Gulf War as a Scout Platoon leader in B Troop, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division. Following his time in Iraq, he returned to Germany. Since then he has been on assignment in Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and Washington, D.C. before coming back to New York and serving on Active Duty with the Joint Forces Headquarters of the New York National Guard. He was in Washington, D.C., attending a meeting in an adjoining building to the Pentagon when it was struck on September 11, 2001. Returning to New York, he was sent to Ground Zero to serve as a logistical officer for the recovery efforts.
Most recently, Christian has served as the Legislative Liaison Officer for the Joint Forces Headquarters which often took him to Washington, DC and most recently as the Director of the J-5 Strategic Planning Directorate from which he will retire. Throughout his more than twenty-five years of service, he has received numerous awards, including the Bronze Star, three Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, a number of other awards and while at Fort Benning, Georgia, his Parachute Wings.
Christian is an active member of the Immaculate Conception Parish and is proud to be connected to St. Mary’s Academy from which one of his daughter’s graduated and his other still attends.
A huge fan of the New York Giants, New York Mets, Siena College basketball and Notre Dame Football team, Christian travels to South Bend every year with his family to a home game supporting the Fightin’ Irish: win or lose.
Hoosick Falls parade committee member Kevin O’Malley, who adheres to the sentiment of ‘All things Irish. Family Faith and Nation’ said “We are honored to have Christian Bradley as our Grand Marshal at this, our 24th annual parade, as he has served his country, community, church and family well.”[/private]