No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

Country music star Craig Morgan talks ‘God, Family, Country’

Jessica Manfre
by Jessica Manfre
October 5, 2022
Craig Morgan

Photo credit Nate Griffin

Craig Morgan’s life was built in and through the ashes of loss, his ever-present Christian faith and deep-rooted values like service to country. But it was the loss of his son that led to writing his memoir, “God, Family, Country.”

Born Craig Morgan Greer, becoming a famous singer wasn’t on his list of things to accomplish in life – even though his roots were planted just outside Nashville and his dad was in a band. His eye was always on service. After high school, Morgan became a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician. He was also a police officer for a time.

In 1986, he enlisted in Army and thought he’d serve till they forcibly dragged him out.

“There’s the term, ‘Once a soldier, always a soldier,’ and that will forever be true for me,” Morgan said. “I can honestly say I’m truly grateful for what has happened and has taken place. But there’s still even today, there’s days where I wish that I were back … It’s just who we are. I tell people [that] law enforcement officers, soldiers, they all share that same gene – even EMTs, paramedics – probably even doctors and nurses, I’d venture to say. There’s a gene within our genetic makeup that requires us to want to do for others. A sense of service.”

He served on active duty for almost 10 years with the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions as a forward observer, which included a combat deployment to Panama during Operation Just Cause in 1989. His time working alongside the CIA, Green Berets and Navy SEAL Teams on a covert mission are detailed in his memoir.

“I had a John Wayne moment. I think I talked about it in the book where we were walking down the street and there was a grenade in the road. And the spoon was on the grenade but the pin had been pulled. And I just walked up and picked it up and stuck a needle in there where the pin went. Everyone else was freaking out and I didn’t even realize what I was doing at the time,” Morgan laughed.

Craig Morgan
Courtesy Craig Morgan

Getting his platoon of soldiers home safe from Panama was one of his proudest moments during his time with the Army. It was during that deployment the seeds of a career in music started to bloom. Morgan writes about bringing his guitar on each trip, singing and playing for his friends.

After returning from deployment to Fort Polk, he started driving to Nashville on the weekends to write and perform. He got better and better, he said. Soon it was difficult to manage his songwriting on a part-time basis.

Morgan writes about being encouraged to pursue music by his father and higher ups in the Army, including Gen. David Petraeus.

After almost 10 years, he decided to transition to the Army Reserve and go all in on songwriting. It wasn’t easy and money was tight. He wrote about how his wife, Karen, also missed Army life terribly – though she was nothing but supportive of his decision. 

By 1999, artists like Joe Diffie and Alabama were recording his songs. He’d also started honing in his singing ability and performing more often. After being signed to a record label and releasing his first album (the self-titled “Craig Morgan”), which did well, showing up for drill weekends at Fort Campbell became a challenge.

RELATED: Craig Morgan, country artist and Army vet, goes ‘Beyond the Edge’ on CBS reality series

In 2004, he transitioned out of the reserves and committed to music completely.

“I think I still have a lot of the same characters and morals and values. There’s no question about that. But the military taught me a lot,” Morgan said. “It taught me a lot about myself and made me a stronger person. It gave me a different perspective on how fortunate we are, and I think had I not gone over there, I might not have that same depth of appreciation for the freedoms that we have here had I not seen how underprivileged other nations are.”

In between mission trips, prioritizing his family at home and taking part in a multitude of television shows and continually recording new music, Morgan made his mark.

But his world was shattered with the accidental death of his son, Jerry, in 2016.

His Christian faith carried him through. Though he writes about remembering not wanting to write a song about it all, “My Father, My Son and the Holy Ghost” poured out of him through tears and grief a few years later.

And it went viral.

“I don’t believe that for one second God took my son from me in order to make me a stronger Christian. I believe that the devil took my son and God allowed it because God knew that my faith was so strong that I would not believe that the devil wasn’t going to win,” Morgan said. “And that by doing that other people would come to know Him. And that’s a difficult thing to live with.

“When you think about Christ, and God gave up Christ, I’m not trying to get on a rant here. But you know, it was the ultimate sacrifice. That’s what we are as humans, and that’s why I love the military so much. These people are willing to put themselves in harm’s way for the betterment of someone else. That’s what makes us a great nation.”

Morgan said his hope is that when fans read his book they “experience something that tells them that we can all be good.”

“Do good for the betterment of not only ourselves but others,” Morgan said. “Sometimes we’re going to experience heartache and hardship and I do believe that sometimes that pain that we experienced in our life, whether it be physical or emotional, spiritual, whatever it is, it might not necessarily always be just for us.”

“God, Family, Country” by Craig Morgan is available through Blackstone Publishing, as well as major retailers.

Read comments
Tags: 101st Airborne Division82nd Airborne DivisionArmy ReserveBlackstone PublishingChristianityCIACountryCraig MorganfamilyGodGreen BeretsOperation Just CauseSEAL Team
Jessica Manfre

Jessica Manfre

Jessica Manfre, LMSW is an author and freelance writer for multiple publications. She is a licensed social worker, earning her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Central Florida in 2020. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Northwestern State University. Jessica is the co-founder and CFO of Inspire Up, a 501c3 nonprofit promoting global generosity and kindness through education, empowerment, and community building. She is the spouse of an active-duty Coast Guardsman and mother of two. When she isn’t working, you can find her reading a good book and drinking too much coffee.

Related Posts

Navy reservist captures history over 30-year career

by Taneika Duhaney
3 days ago
0
Navy reservist

Amy Forsythe, now a Navy reservist, has documented service members in some of the most remote regions in the world...

Read more

Marine Corps Reserve veteran reflects on ‘fly on the wall’ view of Iraq War

by Kari Williams
5 days ago
0
Iraq

When talk of the Iraq War began, retired Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Hoh was a junior officer for the Secretary...

Read more

8 ways to spend spring break with young children

by Emily Solberg
1 week ago
0

The groundhog might have seen his shadow this year, but spring break is right around the corner for many American...

Read more

The last World War II veteran on active duty served for nearly 55 years after the war

by Military.com
2 weeks ago
0
World War II

Dr. Earl Russell Fox spent most of his life in and around the military, joining the Navy during World War II.

Read more

Air Force lieutenant colonel leads next generation of cadets through ROTC

by Elena Ferrarin
3 weeks ago
0
Air Force

Air Force Lt. Col. Sheena Puleali’i says her ROTC at the University of Southern Mississippi is the highlight of her...

Read more

National Guard, reserve veterans among IAVA’s advocacy all-stars

by AmeriForce Staff
3 weeks ago
0
IAVA

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's (IAVA) All-Star Advocacy Fly-In on Capitol Hill included several reserve component veterans.

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • SPORTS
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW

Skip to toolbar
  • About WordPress
    • WordPress.org
    • Documentation
    • Support
    • Feedback
  • AMP
    • View AMP version