bɹˈæʔn̩ ɡɹˈædjuːˌeɪɾᵻd wˈɛst pˈɔɪnt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹtiːn ænd wʌz pˈoʊstᵻd tʊ oʊˈɑːhuː æz ɐ luːtˈɛnənt ɪnðə fˈɜːst ˈɪnfəntɹi ɹˈɛdʒɪmənt, wˌɛɹ hiː sˈɜːvd ʌntˈɪl ðə ɹˈɛdʒɪmənt ɹᵻtˈɜːnd tə ðə kˌɑːntɪnˈɛntəl jˈuː.ˈɛs. ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvəntˌiːn.
Bratton graduated West Point in 1914 and was posted to Oahu as a lieutenant in the 1st Infantry Regiment, where he served until the regiment returned to the continental U.S. in 1917.