Specialist Caroline Morrison, Army National Guard
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For 20 years, Specialist (Retired) Caroline Morrison dedicated her life to serving her country as a Religious Affairs Specialist, and today she continues her mission of compassion and care as a Hospice Chaplain. She is a proud veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and, just as proudly, a devoted wife of 20 years and mother to four amazing children.
Caroline's journey through service was shaped by perseverance, courage, and the unwavering belief in her own authenticity. "I was active duty when I first started my career in the Army," she recalls. "I was assigned to the Main Post Chapel at Fort Leavenworth. It was my first taste of freedom, but without structure, things fell apart." During those early years, she faced depression and struggled silently, even attempting to end her life. It was in her darkest moments that her resilience began to shine. Through immense personal strength, Caroline not only survived but found her way back to service, continuing her career in the Army National Guard. However, her path was far from easy. She faced systemic barriers, blatant discrimination, and transphobia at various stages of her career. After 17 years of service, Caroline came out to her commander in the National Guard. Her courage was met with mixed reactions. Some supported her, while others responded with hostility and ignorance. She recounts how her battalion mishandled her transition timeline, allowed offensive memes about her to circulate, and focused on silencing her instead of addressing the harassment. "My state chaplain told me he didn’t agree with my ‘lifestyle,’ but he would be professional," Caroline shares. Despite such challenges, she remained steadfast. "I could write so much about the naysayers and ‘leaders’ who made life so much harder than it needed to be, but honestly, my story is more than that." It’s a story of resilience, yes, but also of the incredible allies who made her final years in service a place where she could thrive. One conversation with a new supervisor was a turning point: "She said, 'Your days of having to be two different people are over.' Having to be a man two days a month was done! I just about cried." Caroline had finally found the acceptance and understanding she had long deserved. She recently retired with her head held high, knowing she had stayed true to herself and her mission to care for others. You can read more of Caroline's story in 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦 |