February 18, 2020 – U.S. Army Recruiting Command is partnering with NASA and Space Center Houston to host the first nationwide oath of enlistment from the International Space Station on Feb. 26, 2020.
Army astronaut Col. Andrew Morgan will administer the oath on a live broadcast to more than 800 Future Soldiers at more than 100 locations across the country and will answer questions from participating schools.
“This is an incredible opportunity for us to partner with Space Center Houston to recognize future Soldiers across the nation with a truly unique experience,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Michaelis, USAREC deputy commanding general, who will facilitate the ceremony and question-and-answer session with Morgan. “This is the first event of its kind and will allow us to show the nation the breadth and depth of opportunities the Army offers today’s youth.”
Morgan is part of the U.S. Army Astronaut Detachment, which supports NASA with flight crew and provides engineering expertise for human interface with space systems. He is an emergency physician in the U.S. Army with sub-specialty certification in primary care sports medicine and was selected to become an astronaut in 2013.
Morgan is a combat veteran with airborne and ranger tabs and has also served as a combat diver. As an astronaut, he has completed five spacewalks and three space flights to the International Space Station. He will share some of his Army story and his experiences in space during the 20-minute live call with Future Soldiers.
The Army and NASA have been working together for more than 60 years. While there are currently only three active-duty astronauts in the U.S. Army, the detachment is only a small fraction of the Army’s space assets.
The Army is the largest user of space-enabled systems, often for communications and intelligence. Army operations are critically reliant on space services and capabilities, as Soldiers need satellites in space to help them see, shoot, move and communicate.
“We need qualified and innovative people to help us continuously adapt to the changing world,” Michaelis said. “The young men and women who will begin their Army story with the incredible experience with Col. Morgan are part of our future. They will perform the traditional jobs most people associate with the Army, like infantry and armor, but they will also take on roles many people don’t realize we do — highly technical and specialized careers in science, technology, engineering and math.”
The oath of enlistment ceremony and question-and-answer session with Morgan will stream live on NASA TV, DVIDS, and U.S. Army Facebook and YouTube pages.
By Amanda Surmeier, USAREC