Skip to main content

O-A alumnus counseled CIA employees

By Tasia Boland

Kenneth Bradt, Ph.D, is one of four inductees for the Oakfield-Alabama High School Hall of Fame ceremony the first weekend in October.

They will be introduced to students at a pep rally Oct. 2 and recognized publicly at that night's football game.

The Hall of Fame honors will take place Oct. 3 at the O-A Middle-High School. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. with the ceremony following.

Bradt has had an illustrious career. To prepare for it, he attended Syracuse University with an interest in chemistry but found he was more intrigued by people’s decisions and behaviors. He quickly switched his major and earned his bachelor's and master’s degrees in psychology.

In 1951, he earned his doctorate in psychology at Illinois' Northwestern University.

After getting his education, Bradt achieved the rank of first lieutenant in the Army Medical Service. He served as chief clinical psychologist at the Army Hospital at Camp Atterbury, Ind., and later became a research psychologist with the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C..

During the '70s Bradt counseled CIA employees coping with unfamiliar, unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations. For his work, he received the Intelligence Medal of Merit from the CIA director for outstanding contributions to agency management.

For 21 years, Bradt shared his knowledge and wisdom with students at George Washington University, the University of Virginia and George Mason University.

In 1981, he was teaching at George Mason University and originated one of the first graduate-level courses in organizational leadership in the country.

In 2004, he was elected Fellow in the American Psychological Association in recognition of outstanding and unusual contributions to the science and profession of psychology. 

The other inductees are Dr. Robert Disasio, Donald Carroll and 1st. Lt. Harmon J. Norton, who will be represented by Joe Cassidy, the Town of Alabama historian. Some previous inductees will also be attending.

Tickets go on sale in late August at the school’s main office or from committee members. The public is welcome.

Tyler Hall

I really like the idea of an Academic Hall of Fame for high schools. Most have sports and athletics, but honoring people like this would be a nice incentive for the young under achievers. I saw in The Daily last month that a 90's graduate came back and addressed the graduating class. (I think Kendell). I don't know, maybe more schools should do it.

Jul 15, 2009, 3:22pm Permalink

Authentically Local