National Guardsman was born to serve

Service. This simple but meaningful word is the theme for Veterans Day 2023. For Justin Morrow, service runs in his DNA. He’s a third-generation Veteran of our nation’s military.

Justin’s grandfather served in the U.S. Air Force and so did his dad. Justin was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on Air Force Base Elmendorf, where his father was stationed at the time. The family relocated to Wichita Falls, Texas, and eventually moved to San Antonio.

A graduate of Taft High School, Justin joined the Texas Army National Guard in 2009.

“I needed direction in my life, and I wanted to serve my community,” he said about his decision to join. “The National Guard seemed a good fit for what I wanted to do, and I had the bonus of serving while being able to stay home most of the time.”

His unit was stationed in New Braunfels and later in San Marcos. Justin was assigned to the transportation area, where he drove everything with wheels. This included a special heavy-duty truck used to transport missiles for missile launchers. He also served as a master driver and taught soldiers how to operate military vehicles.

As a Guardsman, Justin deployed to areas in Texas and other states to help communities devastated by hurricanes. His unit also was sent to assist at the Lone Star state’s border. “We had a family crossing from the other side, and they came directly to us,” recalls Justin. “They looked tired, lost and scared. Seeing their eyes light up as we offered them water and food made me realize the basic things we take for granted.”

Justin’s duties with the National Guard even took him across the world. His unit deployed to Djibouti, Africa, to assist with building schools and other infrastructure.

Justin concluded his military career in 2017 with eight years of service and after the birth of his daughter Gabriella. 

“My daughter told me I was gone too much,” he said of his decision to conclude serving in the Guard. Justin shared that the decision allowed him more time to focus on his family — wife Victoria and children Gabriella and Aaron — as well as his professional career.

Justin joined CPS Energy in February of this year, serving as a Safety Professional in the Safety Operations business area. In this role, he offers guidance and takes steps to resolve any safety-related issues in the work environment. He promotes a culture of safety so team members return home to their families.

While Justin is now focused on serving the employees of CPS Energy and keeping them safe, his younger brother is carrying on the Morrow family’s legacy of military service as a medic with the Texas Army National Guard.

Veterans like Justin exemplify what it means to serve. CPS Energy is proud to have him among the nearly 330 Veterans working for the company, serving our customers, community and country. We thank Justin, his family of Veterans, and all other Veterans for their commitment and service to our nation’s Armed Forces.