In 2003 Brandon earned a Bachelors degree in Anthropology (with an emphasis in archaeology) from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. The following year he earned his first Masters degree in European Historical Archaeology from the University of Sheffield in Sheffield, England. At the University of Sheffield, Brandon became interested in combining History with Archaeology to better understand and study the Roman army. He realized that in order to successfully utilize both disciplines in his research, he needed more formal training in History before entering a PhD program. He earned a second Masters degree in History from the University of North Dakota in 2007. Brandon is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies at Penn State University.