Bradley Hazell - Graduate

Bradley Hazell was a Veterans Caseworker in the office of Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar, a position he earned through the U.S. House of Representatives'  Wounded Warrior Program.   It’s an important job and, like most things worth doing, Hazell learned early on that it comes with its fair share of challenging and rewarding moments.

During his first week, for example, Hazell helped a veteran constituent get some much needed medication in less than 48 hours. “He was told it wouldn’t be available for about three weeks,” Hazell said, “and it felt great to help.” But the next week, on another case, a Korean War veteran passed away while he was waiting for some paperwork to get through on a claim.  Hazel sai, ,"That made for a rough time."

Still, he quickly learned how to meet the needs of his veteran constituents. “When people call, you can tell they’re not sure we’ll be able to do anything,” said Hazell.  Sometimes,the outcome is not what the veteran would like to see. In those cases, Hazell said the vets are still happy to have had his help through what can be a complex claims process. 

In addition to managing a hefty caseload, Hazell also built relationships in the district through outreach efforts with the local chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. 

Hazell, who lived in Tucson, Arizona, was a self-described Air Force brat, and he lived in Germany with his parents while he was growing up. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1999 and was among the first to enter Iraq during the 2003 invasion, where he served as a Scout Team Leader with the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (L.A.R.). Hazell returned to Iraq in late 2004 for a second tour as a Squad Leader for the 2nd Batalion, 24th Marines.

Hazell was unable to complete his fellowship as a result of re-districting and the change in location of Congressman Gosar's offices.