Colonel Radford was born August 24, 1949, in the Southeastern Ohio Village of Pomeroy. He grew up in that community and graduated from Pomeroy High School in 1967.
He enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard on September 17, 1968 and was assigned to Detachment 1, 38th Military Police Company, located in Beightler Armory. After Basic and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating in August of 1969. He remained in that unit, in the rank of Sergeant, until May of 1971.
At that time he accepted his commission as an Air Defense Artillery Officer and was assigned as a Platoon Leader in Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 174th ADA Battalion, in Marietta and Caldwell. He also held the position of Fire Coordination Officer in the Battalion Headquarters in Athens. Colonel Radford’s first command returned him to Battery D, where he was promoted to Captain in October 1979, and remained in command until July, 1983, when he transferred to Headquarters STARC (Troop Command) and assigned as Assistant S-2.
In May, 1984 Colonel Radford transferred to HHC, 16th Engineer Brigade, as a Highway Engineer in the S-3 Section. In January 1985 he became the Brigade S-1 and was promoted to Major in September of that year. He transferred to the 612th Engineer Battalion in January of 1987 and held positions as both the S-3 and Executive officer prior to assuming Battalion Command in February 1991. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in March.
In August 1992, Colonel Radford retuned to the 16th Engineer Brigade Headquarters as the Brigade S-3, a position he held until he was reassigned as the Brigade Executive Officer, in December, 1994. He became the Deputy Commander of the Brigade in May of 1996 and was promoted to Colonel in June of the same year. He became Commander of the 416th Engineer Group in October of 1997, a position he held until assigned as Director of Facilities Engineering, Ohio Army National Guard in October of 2000. He continues to hold that position until his retirement on 31 August.
His Military Technician Service began in January of 1987, concurrent with his military assignment to the 612th Engineer Battalion in Walbridge. He served as an Administrative Officer at that location until August of 1989, at the State Headquarters (Facilities Management Office) until November of 1994, and at the 16th Engineer Brigade until May of 1999. At that time he was assigned as the Construction and Facilities Management Officer for the Ohio Army National Guard, the position he holds today.
Colonel Radford is a graduate of the Air Defense Officer Basic Course, the Engineer Officer Advance Course, the Command and General Staff College Course, and the U.S. Army War College. He possesses a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of the State of New York and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.
