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Country crooner Craig Morgan is incredibly “honored” after being promoted to Chief Warrant Officer II (CW2) at the Pentagon.
During an interview with Fox News Digital, Morgan talked about the ceremony and being promoted by the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. Morgan said it was a “huge honor” to have Hegseth officiate the ceremony, which took place at the Pentagon on Jan. 15.
“It was an honor. It’s always a huge honor when one of the senior leaders in your chain of command pins your rank on,” Morgan began.
Pete Hegseth promoted country star Craig Morgan to Chief Warrant Officer II (CW2) at the Pentagon on Jan. 15. (U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)
After two decades of service while maintaining a full music career, “humility and pride” were the only two things going through his mind at the time of his promotion.
COUNTRY STAR CRAIG MORGAN REENLISTS IN ARMY RESERVE AT 59
“Two things. Humility. I was honored beyond anything in hopes that people would recognize the pride that we have in our nation and our uniform as service members,” he began.
“It was an honor. It’s always a huge honor when one of the senior leaders in your chain of command pins your rank on.”
“My objective is always to properly represent everyone else who don’t get that opportunity. I think I answered both of my two things, pride and humility. Honor and pride, you know, which I tell people all the time. Those are two elements that I find that the only place that they are well-balanced is in the military and, for me, the army. I say military because I think the army is representative of the military as a whole, but the army, you know, it’s very seldom do you meet someone who has such a wonderful balance of pride and humility. The military and, for me, the army, I think represents that better than any other occupation or people in the world,” he continued.
WATCH: CRAIG MORGAN SAYS TWO THINGS WERE GOING THROUGH HIS MIND AT HIS CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER II IN THE ARMY RESERVE PROMOTION CEREMONY
Morgan explained that if any member of the United States military wants a senior ranking officer like Hegseth to promote them, they should just email him.
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“If the timing is such that it works, it works. The reason it worked for us [is] he happened to be in DC when I happened to be in DC. I was there for meetings. I’m working on a suicide prevention program for the Army. I am heading up a music program. And we were there for meetings with people to converse about this particular project. And my promotion was due. I talked to my command and I said, ‘Hey, if the secretary is there, I’m gonna see… and they said, ‘Yeah, well, email him” Morgan explained.
Country star Craig Morgan has been balancing music and serving for decades. (Getty Images)
Morgan reenlisted in the Army Reserve in 2023 at 59. Prior to that, the “That’s What I Love About Sunday” singer served 17 years in the Army and Army Reserve with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions as an E-6 Staff Sergeant and Fire Support Specialist and including Airborne, Air Assault and Rappel Master among his certifications.
Morgan held the rank of Staff Sergeant prior to his promotion. He continued touring and releasing new music in his civilian career while simultaneously serving in the Army Reserve.
WATCH: CRAIG MORGAN ON WHY HE DECIDED TO REENLIST IN THE ARMY AT 59
Morgan has also worked with the USO, and has earned the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal and the USO Merit Award.
During his interview with Fox News Digital, Morgan discussed how he questioned whether he could realistically balance a successful music career and serve in the army.
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“Initially, when I first left the Army, for a few years there, I didn’t know, because I stayed in for seven and a half years. I was in the Army at Fort Campbell when ‘Almost Home’ came on the radio. So, yes, there was times in my life when I questioned whether I could,” Morgan said.
He said that pursuing music was one of the reasons he left the army. “I just didn’t feel like I was giving what I needed to be able to give to both occupations at that time,” Morgan explained.
The “Almost Home” singer said one of the reasons he left the army was to pursue his music career. (Al Pereira)
The musician said the reason he decided to reenlist “is simple.”
“I’m at a point in my career, at that point in my career, I couldn’t afford to hire people in the music world to assist me in accommodating me in all of that I was doing in my music. Now, I mean, good Lord, we’re running a huge company. My music is a big company. And I have CEOs and I have CFOs and I have people equivalent to those jobs that take care of those things for me that I was doing by myself when I first started in the music business,” he began.
Morgan said he’s “smarter now” and leans in on some of the military resources that are offered to him.
Pete Hegseth and Craig Morgan at the country star’s promotion ceremony. (U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza)
“I am more attentive to the resources that are available to us as soldiers. I was a make-it happen, do-it-yourself kind of guy when I was in the army. And I realized that we are a big team, and you need to rely on your teammates,” he said.
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Morgan told Fox News Digital that he continues to serve in the army because he’s physically and mentally able to and wants to officially retire in service to his nation.
Morgan reenlisted in the army after serving for 17.5 years. (Noam Galai/WireImage)
“That’s the thing, number one — because I am physically able, and mentally and emotionally, spiritually able. Number two, I had 17 and a half years when I got out. Got nothing, and I’m not saying I want something, but the one thing that I do want is a letter hanging on my wall that says I served and retired from service to my nation,” Morgan said. “I want that. I want that letter that says I served. Like, if you do 10 years, 12 years, 18 years… And you don’t retire, you don’t have a letter. You don’t have something that says you retired from your service. You have to retire to get that letter, and I want that letter.”
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