aggies are we
By: Matthew Woolbright
Issue date: 11/19/09 Section: News
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Bradley, 74, has been present at every formation, morning and night, with the exception of times when he was hospitalized, for the last 10 years.
"Ol' Army Al is a very dedicated and loving man. He has been at every morning formation and evening since I have been there and even before that," said Danny McGilvray, a junior international studies major from Company E-1. "The class before mine also talks about how he is always there."
But Bradley never attended A&M. In fact he is from Philadelphia, Penn.
Bradley left home at 16 and worked on dairy farms, trained horses, did a stint in the Pennsylvania National Guard and was employed by two engineering firms before moving to Bryan-College Station in 1964.
"I fell in love with the Corps and everything they believed in," Bradley said.
Bradley initially wanted to pursue a job at the University working with the Corps, but a deeper love won out.
While attending Grace Bible Church, the opportunity to serve as a Christian missionary in Europe arose, and Bradley jumped at the chance.
Bradley spent 11 years overseas, often in places he was not allowed to be due to religious restraints.
He drove trucks of Bibles, or educational books as he would report to guards and inspectors checking his inventory, across the Iron Curtain. The last five years of his missionary time overseas were spent ministering in the Middle East - the Muslim world.
Bradley recalls one night when he ran into mechanical difficulties with his truck and was forced to sleep on the side of the road in unfriendly Iraq, with a full cargo of Bibles. He was taken into custody, but managed to escape that night with his truck of Bibles.
"You know, if they had shot me it would have made a holy man out of me," Bradley joked.
After his time overseas, Bradley returned to Aggieland, and began his ministry to the Corps.
In 1977 Bradley purchased a two bedroom house, eventually expanding it to four bedrooms. From the time he purchased the home until 2007 when he sold it, Bradley rented out the other rooms to fifth year seniors who had completed the Corps.
"I don't push myself on anybody. I just talk to them when they come [to me]. I've even introduced some of them to their wives," Bradley said.
One couple that met at a gathering in Bradley's backyard were later married and named their firstborn child after him. Another couple whom Bradley introduced has a son who is a freshman at A&M this year.
Through the years, Bradley has built friendships with hundreds of cadets and often visits them all over the country and the world.
"I am a minister, but I don't preach from a pulpit. I minister to the individual," Bradley said.
McGilvray said Bradley's presence has inspired him over the years.
"The man is a true inspiration to fellow Aggies, especially Corps guys," McGilvray said. "The fact that he is always there makes me realize that our seemingly everyday little things that tend to get redundant mean something."
For 20 years, ending about 10 years ago, Bradley would come to campus or meet off campus to get lunch with some cadets at least once a week. When his stomach and bank account could no longer sustain such a habit, Bradley began attending formation.
Senior mechanical engineering major Jeremy Dudik has developed a close relationship with Bradley over his career at A&M, mostly because Bradley makes it to more formations than many cadets.
"We go to the same church, so it's nice being able to talk to a fellow Christian, and knowing he comes to all our Corps stuff makes the relationship stronger," Dudik said. "It's been nice getting to know him this past semester."
Although he never attended A&M or worked as a faculty member, the Corps affectionately refers to him as "Ol' Army Al."
"I feel a part of the Corps being around so long," Bradley said.
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