Brad Taylor was born on Okinawa, Japan, but grew up on 40-acres in rural Texas. Graduating from the University of Texas, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry.. Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry and Special Forces, including eight years with the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, popularly known as Delta Force, where he commanded multiple troops and a squadron. Taylor retired in 2010 after serving more than two decades and participating in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as classified operations in Afghanistan and around the globe. His final military post was as Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel. He holds a Master's in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, with a concentration in Irregular Warfare.