Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida announces its Ron Mobayed Military Big of the Year

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida is proud to announce Ken Morris has been named the Ron Mobayed Military Big of the Year for 2023. Ken was selected to receive this honor because of his commitment to helping his Little Brother Aundray learn, grow and reach his full potential.

This award was established to honor the life of Lt. Ronald Joseph Mobayed, who was an outstanding Big Brother while he was stationed in Pensacola for flight training in the early 1990’s. Tragically, on October 3, 1995, Ron and his crew were killed in the line of duty while responding to a distress signal. This award pays tribute to our military volunteers and is awarded to a Big who exemplifies the spirit of Lt. Mobayed through their commitment to their Little, to the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency, and to the children of our community.

Ken Morris was a tactical search and rescue instructor pilot for the U.S. Navy for 15 years and has collectively flown over 2,000 flight hours in 6 deployments and 2 wars. He has 13.5 years of sea duty and has flown 5 U.S. Navy aircrafts. He was also awarded an Air Combat Medal with Bronze Star and the Meritorious Service medal.

Ken Morris has been a Big Brother in our program for the past 2 years. During this time, he has been a positive influence in his Little Brother Aundray's life, by helping him overcome various challenges. Ken also exposes Aundray to new experiences, such as teaching him how to golf and swim, and taking him to the YMCA. Even during simple outings like grabbing a bite to eat at Chick-fil-A, Ken always makes a point to throw in a life lesson. Ken also shares with Aundray the importance of community service and giving back. Since they've been matched, the pair regularly volunteers at our agency events and even stays to help our staff clean up.

We want to thank Ken for not only serving our country, but for all he has done for his Little Brother. Ken has embodied what it means to be a mentor, a volunteer, and a role model. On behalf of all of us at Big Brothers Big Sisters, we are proud to present Ken Morris with our 2023 Ron Mobayed Military Big of the Year award.