Major Bradley Henderson, United States Air Force, returned home from a 6-month deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 29.
Brad is a 1996 graduate of Manteca High School.  After graduating from William and Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia, Brad chose a career in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps.
Major Henderson was the chief of international law for the NATO Resolute Support (RS) Mission in Afghanistan.  One of his main duties was overseeing the implementation NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and the United States – Afghanistan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).  These two documents provide the legal authority to have NATO and US forces in Afghanistan.  SOFA and BSA projects that Brad worked on included ensuring the renewal of Afghan visas for over 30,000 contractors, the establishment of the BSA and SOFA implementing commissions and resolving tax disputes between US and Afghan governments.  He was also the point of contact for all questions regarding Afghan law.
He worked closely with NATO and US forces, the US State Department, Afghan government personnel and contractors working in Afghanistan.  Brad was stationed on Camp RS, which is the headquarters for both United States Forces-Afghanistan and RS, located in Kabul near the United States Embassy.
Brad returned home with an appreciation of the Afghan people and their culture. He had conversations with Afghans who talked about how proud they are that the Afghan Army is leading the fight against the Taliban.  Though Afghans die by the hundreds in their efforts, they have hope that the rising generation of Afghans will prevail.
Brad is the son of Carla and Buzz Hoffman of Manteca and Stephen and Claire Henderson of Utah. His siblings are Craig Henderson (MHS 1993), Todd Henderson (MHS 1999), Erik Hoffman (Sierra High School 2008), and Lorie Hoffman (SHS 2010). He is married to Janae, and they have three children: Mariela, 13 years; Teamon, 11 years; and Curtis, 3 years old. Brad is currently stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at Francis E. Warren AFB, where he is second in command in the JAG office.