Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Morgan strived for excellence

With standing room only around the chapel walls, more than 600 soldiers, family and friends filled the Main Post Chapel Friday to remember Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Roy Morgan, who died Tuesday after another vehicle collided with his Jeep, forcing it to plunge off Oglethorpe Bridge in Columbus.

The front of the chapel was decorated with an M-16 rifle, combat boots and a helmet to form a fallen soldier memorial. There were also flags from the 194th Armored Brigade — in which the 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment is attached at Fort Benning — where the 50-year-old soldier trained civilians into soldiers.

From Col. John Cushing, commander of the 194th Armored Brigade, to other soldiers in the regiment, Morgan was remembered as one who strived for excellence and as a caring father and grandfather who had a passion for restoring old Jeeps like the 1978 CJ7 he was driving on Tuesday. On weekends or whenever the Alabama Crimson Tide was playing, the native of Montgomery, Ala., could be found cheering on his favorite college football team.

Cushing said Morgan played a key role in making the regiment something special. “He made it excellent,” the commander said.

The commander noted three things recognized from Morgan in his push for excellence.

“If you are striving for excellence, you will never quit,” Cushing said.

Morgan expected excellence from all of his soldiers in physical training and whatever they were doing. The first PT test was on the private, but the second was on the drill sergeant.

Morgan would never allow soldiers to settle for anything less than excellence.

“Failure is not an option and excellence is contagious,” Cushing said.

Morgan strived for excellence to win.

Chaplain Capt. Caleb Schumacher recalled how Morgan overcame obstacles, even before he was born in 1965 to a mother who was disabled.

“His mother was told she couldn’t have children,” he said. “She was a cripple but God brought the command sergeant major. He was God’s child.”

In an attempt to answer the question why something great came to an abrupt end, the chaplain said, “The circumstances are beyond our control.”

In the end, Morgan was a winner. The chaplain said he won in combat and he won in his family.

1st Sgt. Maj John Miller said he last spoke to Morgan on Monday and he was excited about the upcoming physical training test.

“He walked up in formation and said I just ran two miles in 15 minutes,” Miller said.

That time was completed by a soldier who had endured four surgeries on his knees after more than 20 years in the military.

Command Sgt. Maj. Richard Meiers said the two were such good friends that they would look for each other at events. They celebrated together when Alabama won a football game.

“That is what buddies do,” he said. “We also had the keys to each other’s homes so that when we needed each other to take care of something there is no problem.”

He looked among soldiers standing along the walls and filling the seats in the chapel and said the crowd was just a small percentage of the people who knew the person he called “Roy.” Meiers said, “ I will miss him forever.”

Meiers said Moran always talked about his wife, Tanya, and their five children. He also was fond of restoring his Jeep as a hobby.

“Roy is the real deal,” he said. “He is the most genuine person I ever known.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Donald Robertson of the 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment is not assigned to Morgan’s battalion but had known him for four years. He recalled a conversation the two had before Christmas after both completed the sergeants major academy class.

“We were talking about the sergeant majors academy and experience in war stories,” he said. “He loved tinkering around the old Jeeps.”

In the days ahead, Robertson said he will remember Morgan as a great person who had a passion for soldiers.

“He was a family man,” he said. “I will try to emulate that.”

Robertson couldn’t believe details of the crash when he saw it but said the impact hits home when you know the person.

“This is someone I had candid conversations with,” he said. “It’s just great to know the command sergeant major. It really hurts me.”

Morgan was also known as a man of great faith. Although he had served in combat in Iraq, Morgan’s life ended in a vehicle crash.

“It just goes to show his training kept him alive in combat like many other soldiers,” Robertson said. “Unfortunately, he passed away here in a garrison environment. It is something you can never fully accept. I know that he was great with God. He had great faith. I know he is looking down on us.”

The memorial service ended with a roll call for Morgan, whose name was called three times. Soldiers fired a three-volley salute to Morgan before the sounding of Taps.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 7:39 PM with the headline "Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Morgan strived for excellence."