Strengthening The Long Gray Line: Service, Family, And Relationships

Vienna Morrison grew up in an Army family. Both of her parents graduated from the Military Academy in 1989, and much of her childhood was spent in Germany, Virginia, and Belgium, where she graduated from high school. She knew she wanted to serve her country, and applied for West Point. She could not get a medical waiver the first time she applied, so she went to William & Mary and participated in ROTC instead. The following year she was able to get into the Military Academy. She felt well-prepared for Beast. She had done her homework, and successfully navigated the “Cadet in the Red Sash” on her first try. At West Point, she majored in Law and Legal Studies, completing the honors program and writing a thesis on fair housing and environmental racism. From her Plebe to Cow years, she was on the Parachute Team, and she completed the Airborne and Military Free Fall Schools as a Cadet. She was in Iceland when the COVID-19 pandemic started, but returned home safely, sheltering in Connecticut during her time away from West Point. She branched Adjutant General, and will be assigned to Ft. Lewis, Washington. In this interview, she talks about growing up in an Army family and some of the opportunities she had for travel around the world. She discusses her Cadet experiences, opportunities for leadership, and pushing herself to constantly improve. She describes life during the pandemic, and some of the issues her family faced being spread out across multiple locations. Finally, she reflects on what West Point means to her and her family.