The literature suggests that some African American students are lagging behind Caucasian students in classroom performance and in reaching acceptable scores on standardized tests. African American students attending stateside schools are not finding academic achievement as their counterparts whose parents are affiliated with the military. This study investigated the motivational factors for academically high achieving African American students of military personnel. During data analysis, open ended interview responses were analyzed using grounded theory methodology with initial and focused, axial, and theoretical coding. A qualitative grounded approach enabled the researcher to explore the views of the participants in search of commonalities in their reasons for high achievement. The systematic analysis of the data revealed that academic support, personal values, personal strengths, and an environment that promotes learning are dominant motivational factors for high achieving African American students of military personnel. Academic support and encouragement from parents and teachers assured that the participants remained focused on academics. These factors reflected the combined flow between internal and external dimensions, and the engagement of students in their educational endeavors. Further research in this area can provide educators with insight into the motivation of students and may assist in varied methods of instruction in an effort to promote academic achievement in more African American students.