When the Baltimore District was in the search for a new deputy commander to replace Lt. Col. Michael Ruppert, Col. Ed Chamberlayne said three peers had reached out to him personally to recommend Lt. Col. Brad Morgan — then, Maj. Morgan.
Morgan was selected and started with the district on Jan. 23, bringing with him nearly 17 years of service to the Nation in the Army, four of which were spent in Iraq during various deployments to help the Iraqi Army build capacity.
His most recent assignment was a student at Vanderbilt University, where he earned his Master of Science in Engineering (and with a perfect 4.0 grade point average, no less).
"He is on track to contribute greatly here," said Chamberlayne during a ceremony March 1, promoting Morgan to lieutenant colonel. "I am very lucky to be able to serve alongside him."
"When I was a young commissioned officer, lieutenant colonels seemed so old. Now, I'm one of them," Morgan joked during the ceremony.
This is Morgan's second time serving as deputy commander for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' district, having also done so from 2013 - 2015, at the Nashville District, ironically as his older brother Clay was also serving as deputy commander at the Fort Worth District (and still is).
"My brother always knew he wanted to go to West Point and become an engineer," said Morgan. "He blazed the trail. I didn't want to follow in his footsteps, but I did."
In contrast to his brother, however, Morgan said that although he always had an analytical mind, his love for construction and engineering wasn't validated until the summer before his junior year of high school when his father, other brother Drew and he built a garage in their backyard from scratch.
In addition to the educational financial incentives, his grandfathers also inspired him to serve in the military. His paternal grandfather served in the Navy during World War II, while his maternal grandfather served 22 years in the Army and was a veteran of World War II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Ultimately, Morgan wound up at West Point, too, as Clay was starting his senior year.
And, he's come a long way since then.
Morgan was recently selected to command the 19th Engineer Battalion at Fort Knox, Kentucky — one of the largest engineer battalions in the Army. He is anticipated to take command of the unit in summer 2018.
"I don't think I'm ready for this next assignment, but the Army does," said Morgan.
In the meantime, he plans on taking in as much as he can during his time here.
"Baltimore District has a massive program with plenty of ways to get involved, and I look forward to leading the team forward."
The two years he spent as deputy commander in Nashville is the longest duration he's held a job since graduating from West Point.
"That's what I love about the Army," said Morgan. "You never have the same job twice; you get to be challenged in different ways; and each experience is fulfilling in its own way."
Even in the Corps, each district is unique, with different missions, continued Morgan.
"Nashville didn't have a Military mission, so I'm excited to better understand the ins and outs of military construction. Though project delivery methods are relatively similar for the projects, the sites, customers and designs are all very different."
When Morgan has free time, he enjoys sightseeing with his family, enjoying the great outdoors and just being a dad. He resides in Towson with his wife Rebecca, who also hails from his hometown of Union City, Tennessee; and sons Aiden, 9, and Knox, 3, and daughter Ali, 6.
"Morgan and his family are the exact example of what we all aspire to be within the engineer regiment," said Chamberlayne.