Brad Newell was born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1947. His family moved a lot while he was growing up, and all the places they lived were in the South. After graduating high school in Alabama, Brad moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He lived with his grandparents and found a job with an engineering company while attending college part-time at night. A year later (1966) he was drafted into the United States Army. He had his Basic Training at Ft. Benning, Georgia then his Advanced Individual Training at Ft. Ord, California. After that, he went to Engineering Officer Candidate School at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia. After 13 weeks (of the 26 week program) Brad decided to quit OCS. He was then stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii with the 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 11th Light Infantry Brigade. The Battalion would later become part of the Americal (23rd) Division. Brad was deployed to Vietnam with the Battalion when they were transported over there by troop ship in December, 1967. He was wounded in action in May, 1968. He was discharged at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas in July, 1968. After his discharge from the Army, he went back to work for the same company he was working for when he was drafted. He went back to college and received an Associate in Arts degree from Clayton State College and University in Morrow, Georgia in 1972. He worked for that same engineering company in Atlanta for 35 years. After that, he went to work for a Defense Contractor and retired in 2004. Brad became a Certified Cost Consultant (through the American Association of Cost Engineering). He was also a Certified Lay Speaker with the United Methodist Church.