Vann's Bio

Evangelo "Vann" Morris is a prior enlisted Lieutenant Commander (LCDR), US Navy, Retired. Served in the military for 25 years. He grew up in a small village called Folsom, LA. He began his naval career as an enlisted Sailor onboard ballistic missile nuclear powered submarines, where he received training on nuclear propulsion and advanced thermonuclear weapons. After graduating college, the U.S. Navy commissioned him as an Ensign in the Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) community, where he lead Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) teams in the Arabian Gulf and the Caribbean Sea. His VBSS team seized 14 metric tons of pure cocaine in a single Colombian drug raid, which was a at the time a maritime world record.

Throughout his naval career, he has visited 45 countries and deployed while onboard aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, amphibs, and submarines. His final three shore tours were the Pentagon in D.C., 82nd Airborne Division in Bagram, Afghanistan, and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in Tampa. His final three Operational duties were Combat Systems Officer, Anti-Terrorism Officer, and Tactical Action Officer all onboard the guided missile destroyer USS McCAMPBELL (DDG 85). 

After retiring in 2014, he remained at SOCOM as an Information Operations (IO) Subject Matter Expert (SME) in support of major geographic (combatant) commands in select continents. As an IO SME, he coaches, teaches, and mentors in the field of Psychological Operations, Military Deception, OPSEC, Electronic Warfare, Social Media, Public Affairs, and Key Leadership Engagements. 

FORMAL EDUCATION

Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree with a P-code in logistics, from the Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey, CA)

Bachelor's of Science Degree in Engineering Technology from the  University of Memphis (TN)

PUBLIC  SPEAKING

Vann has given motivational speeches to military commands, corporations, non-profit organizations, schools, and special events for over 20 years. His most popular performance is Old Glory (flag personification), where he performs on average 50 times per year, with crowd sizes ranging from 200 to 6,000 people. His audiences often includes military flag officers, senior federal  and state officials, corporate industry leaders, and non-profit organization leaders.  His videos have clocked  several millions views on YouTube, Facebook, Radio podcasts, and Instagram.

VOLUNTEER

As a community volunteer, he served from 2014 – 2018 as the Director of the Military Support Outreach, Tampa, FL – Helping Tampa veterans transition out of homelessness.

PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION: U.S. Naval Submarine School, U.S. Naval Surface Warfare School, Joint Professional Military Education, Phase II, Communications School, Ordnance Officer Course, Anti-Terrorism Officer Course, Force Protection course, Tomahawk, Harpoon, and SM-2 Missile courses; Combat Systems Aegis Systems, and Weapons Officer Courses

Family: Spouse (Joanrita) and three sons are all U.S. military veterans. 

Last Six Assignments:

1. Jan 2015 – Current: Contractor at USSOCOM J3-JCT Information Operations SME (NORTHCOM & INDOPACOM)

2. Aug 2011 – Jan 2014: USSOCOM J5 Compartment Plans OPT Joint Services Strategic Planner

3. Mar 2010 – Aug 2011: The Pentagon. Deputy Director N3/N5 Crisis Action Team Center.

4. July 2009 – Mar 2010: Bagram, Afghanistan. 82nd Airborne Div. Vulnerability Assessment Team Lead.

5. Nov 2008 – July 2009: The Pentagon. Assistant Lead, Crisis Action Team Center

6. Aug 2005 – Nov 2008: Yokosuka, Japan. Combat Systems Officer & Tactical Action Officer USS MCCAMPBELL (DDG 85)

Qualifications & Awards: SWO pin, Submarine Enlisted Warfare pin, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal(s), Navy Commendation Medal(s), and Humanitarian Service Medal