A military veteran with a reputation for helping vets get the benefits to which they are entitled is celebrating his 10th year in business. Bryan Bradford is owner of Bradford Financial Advisers LLC on Main St. in downtown Brighton.

Bradford, who served in the military police in the Pacific Rim, says he started helping veterans get their benefits almost by accident. His knee was destroyed in a training accident and, in a separate incident, he suffered radiation exposure when cobalt 130 leaked from its containment at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He was discharged from the military, but found he had a gift for helping veterans obtain their justly earned benefits.

Bradford earned a degree in corporate finance from Cleary University and took advanced classes from Northwestern University, earning certification in financial planning. With the help of his wife, Jan, who is from nearby Green Oak Twp., he decided to establish a financial planning business in Brighton. Bradford, who is also a Level II service officer, spends about 15% of his time helping veterans. All of the advice and assistance he provides to veterans is done at no cost to the recipient.

Bradford has received awards from the Disabled Americans Veterans, Rolling Thunder and the Michigan legislature, which recently issued a proclamation honoring him for his work. He has also been recognized for the Reboot Recovery program he started for veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Bradford has just begun a new ministry, called Veterans Connected, which is designed to help not only veterans but their families as well, and which also focuses on performing charitable acts in the local community. (TT)