Bradley D. Earl

Richmond, Virginia

Please give an overview of your military service and the branch in which you served.

I enlisted in the United States Navy in December 1999 out of Utah. Upon completion of boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL, I arrived at Naval Air Station Meridian, MS to attend Yeoman accession training ("A-School") before receiving orders to my first duty station at NAS Point Mugu, CA (later Naval Base Ventura County) as a member of the world-famous Wallbangers (VAW-117). During my four years there, I deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in 2001 — the first carrier to launch strikes into Afghanistan following 9/11 — and in 2003 deployed aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during the initial phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Next, I reported to Washington, DC on the Chief of Naval Personnel policy staff, where I was immediately selected to serve as a personal assistant to an Admiral (Flag Writer). This assignment sent me back to NAS Meridian for advanced training ("C-School") before joining the Admiral's staff with Cruiser-Destroyer Group 1 (later Carrier Strike Group 15) aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in NAS San Diego, CA. Following the disestablishment of Carrier Strike Group 15, I returned to Washington, DC as a member of the Chief of Naval Operations policy directorate (N81).

In April 2007, I left active duty and immediately affiliated with the Navy Reserves, transitioning my rating from Yeoman to Legalman (paralegal). Over the course of my 18 years as a Reservist, I deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2010, where I was present when Operation Iraqi Freedom transitioned to Operation New Dawn. In September 2013, I was honored to be selected for the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7). I subsequently volunteered to deploy to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, serving from 2015 to 2016. Having distinguished myself as a senior enlisted leader across several reserve legal units, I was selected to Senior Chief Petty Officer (E8) in 2018 and Master Chief Petty Officer (E9) in 2022, at which point I was selected to serve as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Navy Reserve Law Program. Upon completion of my three-year tour, I determined it was time to fully transition to civilian life after 26 years of total service.

Following my departure from active duty, I served as an Executive Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon and later as a Program Manager for an international law enforcement training organization based in Alexandria, VA. A 2014 graduate of George Mason University with a degree in International Relations, I have been an employee of the Commonwealth of Virginia since September 2021, managing the Unclaimed Property Division within the Virginia Department of the Treasury, having previously held a similar position with the state of Arkansas.

What was or were your most rewarding assignments while serving?

It’s cliché but it’s genuinely true for me; it’s the people who I had the pleasure of serving with over the years. Those who guided and mentored me along the way, the incredible leaders by my side, and those I had the privilege to lead throughout my career.

What are you doing now?

In my current role, I oversee Virginia's Unclaimed Property Division — a program which allows me to continue to serve the public, because every day the team gets to return money to real people who didn't know it was waiting for them. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance proceeds, security deposits, and more — funds that businesses are required by law to turn over to the state when they lose contact with the owner. Virginia currently holds over one billion dollars in unclaimed property on behalf of its citizens, and the Division works every day to reunite those funds with their rightful owners. There is no deadline to file a claim and no fee — ever. If you're a Virginia resident, chances are good that you or someone you know has money waiting. I encourage everyone to take two minutes and search at vamoneysearch.gov — it's free, it's fast, and the money is yours. Additionally, as veterans, we may have unclaimed property available in many of the states we served in so searching missingmoney.com will provide an opportunity to search for potential funds available around the country.

What advice would you give to a transitioning service member?

Your military experience is more valuable than you think — but you have to translate it.

Civilians don't speak our language. They don't know what a Yeoman does, what a Flag Writer is, or what it means to be the Senior Enlisted Leader of a program with hundreds of personnel. But they do understand leadership, accountability, crisis management, and getting things done under pressure. Don't just list your rate and rank on a résumé but tell the story of what you actually did, in terms anyone can understand.

The Reserve component is a bridge worth crossing.

When I left active duty in 2007, affiliating with the Reserves immediately was one of the best decisions I ever made. It kept me connected to a community I loved, allowed me to continue serving, pursue my education, and find my way to a civilian career. It also gave me 18 more years of growth, two more deployments, cultivate lifelong and meaningful relationships, and achieve milestones in all aspects of my life that I never could have foreseen in my youth. Don't sleep on the Reserves as a transition strategy, it's an incredible opportunity.

Your identity is not your rank — find out who you are without it.

This one is hard, especially if you've been in for a long time. The military gives you a clear sense of purpose, belonging, and identity. When that's gone, some people struggle; I’m surprised to find myself struggling a bit too. Know that the values you built in uniform, such as integrity, discipline, service, and resilience, they come with you. You are not your rank. You are the person those things helped build.

Finally — your service mattered. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Our military is an all-volunteer force, you didn’t have to do this, you chose this path when there were so many other possible options. You went where they sent you and did what needed to be done. Carry it with pride and let it fuel everything you do next. My charge to all is to continue to be curious about the people and world around you, be humble, and keep challenging yourself to grow in every facet of your life.