Brian Morales

A native of Bronx, New York, Brian Morales enlisted in the U.S. Navy Aug. 28, 2002, and attended Recruit Training at Great Lakes, Illinois. Upon completion of basic training and attending airman apprenticeship at Pensacola, Florida, that same year, Morales was assigned to the Screwtops of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 123 aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. While serving as an E-2C Hawkeye plane captain, he deployed on USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and was hand-selected for several support detachments, including carrier qualifications aboard USS Eisenhower (CVN 69). VAW 123 recognized his dedicated performance by selecting Morales as the plane captain of the quarter for the third quarter of 2004 and arranged his attendance to photographers mate A school at the Defense Information School (DINFOS). Morales started his new career field in public affairs when assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) 1, home-ported at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, California, in February 2006. The mass communication specialist rating was officially born later that year, merging four legacy rates: photographers mate, journalist, lithographer, and illustrative draftsman. As the commands last photographers mate and first mass communication specialist, he faced the challenge of learning new skills during the independent tour. In November 2015, he completed the Intermediate Photojournalism Course at DINFOS and transferred to Command, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, where he filled a vacant billet as the acting leading chief petty officer. By 2017, he was selected as the Navys 2016 Mass Communication Specialist of the Year (Shore). In January 2018, Morales transferred to the Headquarters of U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as the visual production and engagement chief within Communications Directorate. There, he led 22 Marines during an organizational restructure of four visual information sections and acted as a standard operating procedures consultant for the Marine Corps military occupational specialty merger of the 4600 series. Morales was promoted to chief mass communication specialist on Sept. 14, 2018, and requested by name to join the Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Public Affairs team where he served as a public affairs supervisor for the 70 Navy shore bases within CNICs 10 regions. Morales is qualified as an enlisted surface warfare specialist, enlisted aviation warfare specialist and enlisted information warfare specialist. His military awards include: the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, the Navy Meritorious Unit Award, the Navy E Ribbon, five Navy Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, two Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals, two Global War on Terrorism Service Medals, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, three Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, two Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbons, the Navy Rifle Marksmanship Ribbon and the Navy Pistol Marksmanship Ribbon.