1LT Morgan J. Witt is 26-years-old. She was born in Tallahassee, FL to a mother whose background is in business, and to a father who currently serves in the U.S. Army (he switched branches from the U.S. Navy early in his career).

 

During her life as a military brat, Morgan moved five times. In high school, she participated in Navy JROTC, was a part of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, she ran track, and she also played softball. When asked what makes her identify with the acronym B.R.A.T.S. (brave, resilient, adolescents & teenagers of service-members), she said without any hesitation, "I choose to be both brave and resilient. It's a choice..." Morgan is so right! While no one chooses to be born into the military culture, some children do indeed make a conscious decision to be determined to survive and thrive as B.R.A.T.S.

 

After her junior year in high school, Morgan attended a summer program at the U.S. Military Academy: The West Point Summer Leadership Experience. She fell in love with West Point and then started thinking about having a future career in the Army.

 

Morgan knew that after high school, she would either attend college or join the military. She stated, "When thinking about attending a traditional college, I was uncomfortable with going into the unknown–again–just like I did as a military kid, multiple times. So, I decided to attend West Point opposed to a regular university. Although it's still college, it's a military setting. I knew that I wanted to join the military–it's the only thing that was consistent in my life. It was heartbreaking for me to leave my family, so I decided to join the military–for me, it was another form of family."

 

Ultimately, Morgan graduated from the prestigious military academy, West Point, earning a B.S. in Clinical Psychology with a minor in Counter-Terrorism in 2021. Morgan realized that for many B.R.A.T.S. who go on to college, it might be the longest place that they'll live–for her, this was the case. Being at West Point was the longest place she'd ever lived. Morgan went onto explain that being in a military college environment reinforced what she learned from her parents: the importance of intestinal fortitude. 1LT Witt added that, "My parents made success seem so easy–it didn't seem extraordinary that I succeeded in accomplishing my goals because I was taught that I was destined to be amazing."

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Wow...just wow!

 

Yes, Morgan is indeed amazing! 1LT Witt is now a Human Resource Officer for the United States Army, married to another Army Officer, and she continues to set such a great example for her younger siblings (one, who is also a student at West Point, and another who is an AROTC student at the University of Alabama).

 

In closing, here is some advice that Morgan would like to offer: "Try to let down your emotional guard. As military brats, some of us avoid getting too close to other kids because we'll eventually have to move again. Remember, other children will be impacted by your presence if you take the risk of allowing yourself to connect to others. Enjoy every moment you have wherever this lifestyle takes you! It wasn't until later, when I realized that I should have taken advantage of living in so many different places. And, to the parents of military kids: Just because your children play multiple sports or are a part of certain organizations, they might still be keeping an emotional distance from others–encourage them to connect. Even if they have to move again, some connections can last a lifetime!"

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Not only does 1LT Witt make her own family extremely proud, but she is also an inspiration to the current B.R.A.T.S. who are still navigating this military lifestyle. We certainly thank her for her time and continued service! We wish her happiness, peace, and continued success! What an awesome brat!

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