Photo By Eric Pilgrim | Jim Bradford, Fort Knox’s new garrison deputy, sits in his office as he works...... read more read more
FORT KNOX, Ky. — The new Fort Knox Garrison deputy sees opportunities around every corner here.
After retiring in Germany in 2018 as an Army colonel and spending the next two years in Europe while his children finished up high school, Jim Bradford sought the Fort Knox position for several reasons, saying the Central Kentucky installation is poised for growth and greatness.
“Choosing to come here was a confluence of several things,” said Bradford. “There are absolutely opportunities here for modernization and installation improvement, whether that be continuing efforts to improve housing … or improving our readiness capabilities. What makes Fort Knox lucrative compared to other installations is there is still space and opportunity to grow organizations here.”
Bradford knows the garrison mission. His last assignment in the Army was as the deputy director of U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Europe in Sembach, Germany.
“We had responsibility for all the installations in the European Theater,” said Bradford.
Prior to his assignment in Germany, the infantry branch officer also served as garrison commander of U.S. Army Garrison Daegu in South Korea. His nearly 29 years of military service sent him all around the world.
He said his experiences as an operational infantry commander and then, beginning in 2012, into more of a city management role, will nestle neatly into his new role here.
“In many cases, operational leadership focuses on people-first priorities,” said Bradford. “My leadership style is very much ‘lead by walking around’ — decentralized mission command is another key piece of that. It’s about resourcing directors and division chiefs, and letting them accomplish the mission because that is where their expertise and energy and focus is.”
Bradford said he is fully prepared to assist the commander and command sergeant major with defining the Garrison’s priorities, and provide guidance as needed. One of the first major projects Bradford will be involved in is the renovation of Van Voorhis Elementary School.
“I will provide guidance that is resource-able, and then back away and allow divisions or directorates to be able to do what they need to,” said Bradford. “That’s no different than what a battalion commander or company commander does. My approach is still the same from a leadership approach; it’s just that the mission has changed.”
Bradford said in the near term, his focus will also be on assisting with COVID-19-related efforts to get the installation back on track as well as looking for other opportunities to make the installation more efficient in resource management and manpower.
“I plan on continuing the great work that Mr. Holley and others have done to promote community support,” said Bradford, “both inside the garrison as well as outside.”
| Date Taken: | 01.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 01.12.2021 15:39 |
| Story ID: | 386794 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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