Lieutenant Mickey Morand is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a 1981 graduate of Elder High School. He enlisted in the Navy 1981 and attended Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. Following recruit training, he attended Yeoman Class "A" School in Meridian, Mississippi. Mickey reported for his first tour of duty aboard USS Edson (DD 946), homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, in April 1982. While attached to USS Edson, he served as the ship's legal yeoman. During his tour he deployed to the Great Lakes region in 1983 and 1984 to support of Navy recruiting.

Mickey was discharged from active duty in August 1985, yet reenlisted in the Navy in 1988 and reported to Navy Recruiting District Harrisburg (NRD), Pennsylvania, as an enlisted recruiting processor. While attached to NRD Harrisburg, he earned recognition as the 1991 and 1992 Sailor of the Year and 1992 Support Person of the Year.

In January 1993, Mickey reported to the Air Department aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60) homeported in Mayport, Florida, as the V-5 Division leading petty officer. In January 1995, he deployed to the Mediterranean in support of Operations Deny Flight, Sharp Guard and Provide Promise. While deployed, he qualified as an enlisted aviation warfare specialist.

Mickey reported to USS Vicksburg (CG 69), in Mayport in November 1995 as the ship's secretary. He participated in counter-drug operations in the Caribbean and deployed to the Arabian Gulf. While attached to USS Vicksburg he dual-qualified as an enlisted surface warfare specialist.

Mickey reported to the staff of the Commander, Naval Base, Jacksonville, Florida, in January 1996 as the leading petty officer in the Administration Department, earning recognition as the 1996 Sailor of the Year. In September 1997 he was advanced to chief petty officer.

Mickey was commissioned August 1999 and his first tour as an officer was aboard the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) as the ship's secretary. He deployed to the Arabian Gulf, participated in the OPSAIL 2000 in New York City and Sail Boston 2000 in July.