Glen E. Morrell was the seventh Sergeant Major of the Army

Sergeant Major of the Army

The Sergeant Major of the Army is a unique non-commissioned rank in the United States Army. The holder of this rank is the most senior enlisted member of the Army, unless an Army NCO is serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, when in that case that NCO will be the most senior...

. He was sworn in on July 1, 1983 and served until July, 1987. He was born in Wick, West Virginia

Wick, West Virginia

Wick is an unincorporated community in Tyler County, West Virginia, United States.-Notable residents:*Glen E. Morrell, born May 26, 1936, seventh Sergeant Major of the Army, United States Army....

, on May 26, 1936.

Military career

He served in the United States Army for over 31 years. After his entry on active duty in November 1954 he served in virtually every noncommissioned officer leadership position. His career took him through many CONUS assignments, two tours in Europe, three tours in the Republic of Vietnam and two tours in Panama. Morrell attended Ranger School at Fort Benning, Ga., at the age of forty-one and was selected as the Distinguished Honor Graduate for his class.

His units of assignment include the 6th Infantry in Berlin; 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Germany; 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and three tours in the Republic of Vietnam; two tours with the 7th and 8th Special Forces Group

8th Special Forces Group

The 8th Special Forces Group of the United States Army was established in 1963 at Fort Gulick, Panama Canal Zone. The primary mission of the 8th SFG was counter-insurgency training for the armies of Latin America...

, Panama; 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas; Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor duty with St. John University

College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University

The College of Saint Benedict , for women, and Saint John's University , for men, are partnered liberal arts colleges respectively located in St. Joseph and Collegeville, Minnesota, USA. Students attend classes and activities together, and have access to the resources of both campuses...

, Minnesota; 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry, Fort Stewart, Georgia, Special Forces Detachment (Airborne) Europe; United States Army Recruiting Command

United States Army Recruiting Command

The United States Army Recruiting Command mission is to recruit the enlisted, non-commissioned and officer candidates for service in the United States Army and Army Reserve...

, Fort Sheridan, Illinois

Fort Sheridan, Illinois

Fort Sheridan is a residential neighborhood spread among Lake Forest, Highwood, and Highland Park in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It was originally established as a United States Army Post named after Civil War Cavalry General Philip Sheridan, to honor his services to Chicago...

; and the United States Army Forces Command

United States Army Forces Command

United States Army Forces Command is the largest Army Command and the preeminent provider of expeditionary, campaign-capable land forces to Combatant Commanders. Headquartered at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, FORSCOM consists of more than 750,000 Active Army, U.S. Army Reserve, and Army National...

, Fort McPherson, Georgia.

The US Army Recruiting Command established the Glen E. Morrell Award for Recruiting Excellence in his honor. This medallion is the ultimate award under the Recruiting Incentive Awards Program. It includes a medallion that the recipient wears as part of their Army uniform. In addition to the medallion, a certificate for the recruiter (and the recruiter’s spouse, if applicable) will be awarded.

Awards and decorations

Sergeant Major Morrell's awards and decorations include:

•   Distinguished Service Medal
  Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
  The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
  
  
•   Meritorious Service Medal
  Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
  The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
  
   (with two bronze oak leaf clusters)
•   Army Commendation Medal (with three bronze oak leaf clusters)
•   Good Conduct Medal
  Good Conduct Medal
  The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States military. The Navy Good Conduct Medal was first issued in 1869, followed by a Marine version in 1896. The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was issued in 1923 and the Army Good Conduct Medal in 1941. The Air Force was...
  
  
•   Army of Occupation Medal
  Army of Occupation Medal
  The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany or Japan...
  
  
•   National Defense Service Medal
  National Defense Service Medal
  The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
  
  
•   Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
  
  
•   Vietnam Service Medal
  Vietnam Service Medal
  The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award which was created in 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The distinctive design was the creation of sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry. The medal is issued to recognize military service during...
  
   (with three campaign stars)
•   NCO Professional Education Ribbon (with bronze numeral 5)
•   Army Service Ribbon
  Army Service Ribbon
  The Army Service Ribbon is a military decoration of the United States Army that was established by the Secretary of the Army on 10 April 1981 as announced in Department of the Army General Order 15, dated 10 October 1990....
  
  
•   Overseas Service Ribbon
  Overseas Service Ribbon
  An Overseas Service Ribbon is a service military award of the United States military which recognizes those service members who have performed military tours of duty outside the borders of the United States of America. There are different versions of the Overseas Service Ribbons for the U.S. Army,...
  
  
•   Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
•   Combat Infantryman Badge
  Combat Infantryman Badge
  The Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers—enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
  
  
• Master Parachutist Badge
• Silver Recruiter Badge
• French Jump Wings
• Ranger Tab
  Ranger Tab
  The Ranger Tab is a service school military decoration of the United States Army signifying completion of the 61-day long Ranger School course in small-unit infantry combat tactics in woodland, mountain, and swamp operations. In December 2009 a British NCO earned the Ranger tab...