Shawn Bratton '86 - 2025 St. Ignatius of Loyola Award for Distinguished Service

This award is given annually to a Brophy alumnus whose life and life’s work exemplify a sustained commitment to the values of Jesuit education and the ways he personifies the Brophy Graduate after Graduation. The recipient of this award, like St. Ignatius, has earned the respect and admiration of the community because of the significant impact he has had on the lives of others, particularly those most vulnerable. Brophy is proud to announce that General Shawn N. Bratton ’86 has been named the 2025 recipient of the St. Ignatius of Loyola Award for Distinguished Service.

A Phoenix native and Brophy graduate from the Class of 1986, General Bratton has devoted nearly four decades of service to his country — a vocation grounded in leadership, humility, and purpose. He currently serves as the Vice Chief of Space Operations for the United States Space Force, where he assists the Chief of Space Operations in organizing, training, and equipping the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. His promotion to four-star General marks not only a remarkable personal milestone, but also a testament to a life guided by service and integrity.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Arizona State University, Bratton received his commission from the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, Tennessee, following several years as an enlisted member of the Arizona Air National Guard. His career has spanned the evolution of modern space and cyber operations, including deployments in Operation Iraqi Freedom, leadership of the 175th Cyberspace Operations Group, and key roles at U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Space Command. He became the first Commander of the Space Training and Readiness Command, shaping the future of U.S. space operations and training the next generation of guardians.

Throughout his distinguished service, General Bratton has embodied the Jesuit principle of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam — for the greater glory of God — living a mission of excellence and accountability in service to others. His humility and commitment to ethical leadership reflect the formation that began at Brophy, where the ideals of character, intellect, and faith first took root.

General Bratton’s many decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal, among numerous others. In 2023, he received the Jerome O’Malley Space Visionary Leadership Award for his pioneering contributions to national security and space strategy.

Brophy College Preparatory is honored to recognize General Shawn N. Bratton ’86 as the 2025 recipient of the St. Ignatius of Loyola Award for Distinguished Service, celebrating a life of faith-filled leadership dedicated to the service of others and the defense of our nation.

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