Dr. Morris teaches operational military history ranging from the Seven Years War to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. He joined SAW as a civilian professor in 2020 after completing his PhD at Texas A&M University. His research interests include campaign planning, corps-level operations, Marine Corps history, small wars, and amphibious operations. In 2024 Kansas Press published his first book, Corps Competency? This work examines the performance of III Marine Amphibious Force as the senior Marine headquarters in Vietnam from 1965 to 1971.
Professor Morris served as a Marine before commencing his academic career. He earned his commission in 1985 as a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
A field artillery officer, Morris served in an M198 155mm howitzer battery, performed security force duty on Diego Garcia, served as the Fire Support Coordinator for 6th Marines and the Assistant Fire Support Officer for the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment, conducted operational planning for I Marine Expeditionary Force in the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, taught at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and served as the I MEF(Fwd) G-9, responsible for coordinating Marine civil-military operations in Anbar Province, Iraq in 2008.
Morris commanded the Marine detachment on the USS Holland (AS-32), an artillery battery in 10th Marines, the Inspector-Instructor detachment supporting 3d Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group, Atlantic. He completed his 30-year active-duty career as a colonel directing the School of Advanced Warfighting from 2011 to 2015.
In addition to his Bachelor of Science and doctorate in military history, Professor Morris holds master’s degrees from the Marine Command and Staff College, American Military University, and the Army War College. He is also a graduate of Marine Corps University’s School of Advanced Warfighting.