After 38 years in the Army, Lt. Gen. John Morrison Jr. has retired, leaving behind a legacy that will help the Army be prepared for future conflicts. During Morrison’s retirement ceremony on December 19, 2024, in Conmy Hall on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia, the host of the event, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Randy George, said that if he could sum up John Morrison Jr. in less than fifteen words, he would say, “You are the best Signal Officer I have ever met in my career.”
Becoming the best Signal officer the Army Chief of Staff has ever known took place over the course of a long career filled with diverse and challenging technical, staff, and command positions. However, Morrison’s preparation that led to the Army’s highest officer giving him such high praise may have begun much earlier, since he has been part of the Army family his entire life. He grew up as an “Army brat”, living in several places around the country and Europe, including France and Germany, following his father, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Army medical service corps.
Lt. Gen. John Morrison Jr.’s own military career began in 1986 with his commissioning as a Signal Officer through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. After graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Morrison’s early career included his own assignment in Germany and deployments to Saudi Arabia in support of the Persian Gulf War, to Florida in support of Hurricane Andrew relief efforts, to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of peacekeeping operations, and to Iraq in support of Task Force Baghdad.
From 2007 to 2009, Morrison commanded the Joint Communications Support Element, a unit with the mission of providing rapidly deployable and scalable command and control support to the regional combatant commands, Special Operations Command, and other agencies. From 2009 to 2010, he served at the Pentagon as the Executive Officer for the Army Chief Information Officer (CIO)/G-6. In his next assignment, he stayed at the Pentagon, serving from 2010 to 2012 as the LandWarNet/Mission Command Director in the Department of the Army G-3/5/7.
From 2012 to 2019, Lt. Gen. Morrison served consecutively in three major command assignments: as the Commanding General of 7th Signal Command (Theater) at Fort Gordon, Georgia; then as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) at Fort Huachuca, Arizona; and finally as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon.
In August of 2020, Morrison took on his final mission, assuming the duties of the first-ever Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6. In this role, which he held for four and a half years, he helped navigate the split of the CIO/G-6 into two separate offices and served as the principal military advisor to the Chief of Staff of the Army for planning, strategy, and implementation of Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, and Information Technology (C5IT) for worldwide Army operations.
Since late 2023, the Army’s top priority for transformation has been modernization of the network, which Morrison oversaw. During the retirement ceremony, Gen. George, speaking of Morrison’s leadership in this area, said, “He has changed the paradigm of Army command and control systems. He made sure that the days of us lugging around giant server stacks and setting up giant command suites are over. Today, because of John Morrison, leaders are starting to fight from tablets and phones…. He has made our Army more agile and lethal, and our formations less likely to be detected and targeted…. John, you have been the keystone and driving force behind that effort. Thank you for embracing the problem and working tirelessly to find solutions.” The Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. James Mingus, speaking also of Morrison’s work on modernizing the network, said, “John has driven change that will fundamentally change our Army. Many have tried, but John delivered.”
Besides his leadership, technical competence, and forward thinking, Morrison’s character was highlighted during his retirement ceremony. “John was a humble leader,” Gen. George said. Addressing Morrison directly, he added, “You never asked your soldiers to do something that you couldn’t or wouldn’t do yourself. Second, you are a dedicated team player…. Finally, you are a…genuinely good human being. You see and acknowledge everyone around you from private to general. Even with loads on your shoulders, you take the time to be genuine and kind to everyone you meet.” This included taking the time to answer questions from groups of Junior ROTC cadets at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting and speaking at graduation ceremonies for young Soldiers.
Morrison was dedicated to preparing the Army for the future, but also to honoring the past. For example, several early Saturday mornings, after a long week at work, he would go to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., to greet veterans from the Vietnam War, Korean War, and World War II who were there through the Honor Flight program. During one of these events, in the rain, he said to the veterans, “Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your example. Today, we are part of the greatest military the world has ever known, and it is because of the example that you set.... Your service, your sacrifice has led to the great Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Guardians that are stationed around the world today protecting freedom.”
Lt. Gen. John Morrison Jr.’s story cannot be adequately told without mentioning the woman that has been by his side for his entire career and a little longer, his wife of 39 years, Anne. She was the quintessential Army spouse. One time in the early 1990s she rushed with her husband’s full ruck sack on her back, with their four daughters behind her, across the parking lot to John’s pre-deployment lockdown site. This scene inspired the battalion commander to say, “There’s an Army spouse.” Toward the conclusion of his retirement ceremony, Lt. Gen. Morrison said, “To my Annie, you are the wind beneath my sails, my rock…. I am so proud to be your husband. Annie, I love you, let’s go home.”
In 1986, newly commissioned Lieutenant Morrison thought he would only serve one tour. Almost four decades later, which included 22 houses around the world that he and Anne called home, the Army is glad he decided to stay in. As Gen. George said, “I am so glad you stayed because the Army is so much better for it.” Because of Lt. Gen. Morrison’s career, global communications within the Army, between the forces, and with our allies will be easier, faster, and more effective. And because his work is leading to smaller command posts, smaller digital signatures, and better information sharing, Soldiers’ lives will be saved. Just as Morrison thanked the veterans at the WWII Memorial, now the Army thanks Lt. Gen. John Morrison Jr. for his service. Like his father and his WWII veteran father-in-law, he leaves a lasting legacy that the future force will benefit from and continue to build on.
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