The school is named after Navy Admiral Arthur William Radford who served as Commander-in-Chief of the United States Pacific Command after WWII.

Its students are ethnically diverse[clarification needed] and about 63% military dependents, resulting in a yearly transiency rate of about one-third.

Radford High School's boundary encompasses the following civilian housing areas: Aliamanu, Alii Plantation, Crosspointe, and Foster Village.

It encompasses the following military housing areas: Hokulani, Ohana Nui, Hickam Air Force Base, Catlin Park, Ford Island, Hale Moku, Halsey Terrace, Little Makalapa, Makalapa, Moanalua Terrace, Pearl Harbor Shipyard Quarters, and most of Aliamanu Military Reservation Housing.

It is a highly functional, comprehensive partnership that has resulted in many exemplary programs and improvements for Radford students and has solved many critical campus/community issues.

Students enrolled in the program take Naval Science courses and have opportunities to attend many functions on the nearby Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam.