In early October of 2021, our team was honored to be present as our own Brigadier General Stephen Iacovelli stepped down as Commanding General of the 94th Training Division after admirably leading the division for 38-months.

Stephen enlisted in the Army as a Private in 1984 and was later named a distinguished graduate from his AIT class at Fort Lee, Virginia. He was later commissioned as an Engineer Officer through the Army ROTC Program and later became Psychological Operations qualified at Ft. Bragg, NC. He holds a Master’s in Information Systems and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College, where he was a Distinguished Graduate. He is also a National Security Fellow at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

We asked Stephen to share a bit about his experience while in service and his experience with us at AIS, and the recent ceremony.

Can you tell us a little about the Change of Command ceremony in Ft. Lee?

The change of command ceremony at Ft. Lee was amazing! The event started the night prior, with a military dining out, and concluded with the actual change of command ceremony Sunday morning. My Command Sergeant Major planned everything for months and wouldn’t let me get involved as he wanted the details to be a surprise. He even brought in some drill sergeants from our battalion at Ft. Leonard Wood to be the color guard. He knew I had previously commanded both a drill sergeant battalion and brigade and that I had also been enlisted and went through basic training. In addition, we had support from an artillery battery, who provided an 11-gun salute in my honor, and members from the TRADOC band out of Ft. Eustis.

In addition to the command teams from the division’s five brigades and 25 battalions, I was blessed to have friends and family present, including AIS President and CEO, Larry Katzman (and son Alex), and David Skiavo, VP, Workforce Automation & Analytics. We even had representation from the 94th Infantry Division Historical Society, who, 2-years ago, gave me the honor of being a guest speaker at a monument dedication at the National Infantry Museum, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the division. The whole weekend was very emotional, and it was difficult leaving the 94th after having been with it for 38-months. It’s an extreme honor and privilege to have been the longest-serving commander in the 103-year history of the division.

You’ve been with AIS for nearly nine years. What’s the experience at AIS been like throughout your service, and what keeps you with the company?

My time at AIS has been great. I’ve been fortunate to have worked on a variety of projects and assignments over the past 8-1/2 years. As I said in my remarks at my change of command, AIS has bent over backward to accommodate me in my day-to-day responsibilities, especially over the past 3-years, which has allowed me to meet my extensive military commitments – I’m very grateful for that support. I really enjoy working with everyone here at AIS because everyone is passionate about technology and wants to provide the highest quality solutions for our clients. Also, everybody here really goes out of their way to help each other – that’s something you don’t often find in the civilian workplace. This company truly is something special!

What would it be if you could have given yourself one piece of advice before beginning your career?

Focus on what you can affect, and don’t get upset about those things that are out of your control. Your time and effort are much better spent working on things you can impact than dwelling / lamenting on those you can’t because that’s just a waste of time and energy. Too often, I’ve seen people get so spun up about things that are out of control that they lose sight of what they can/should be doing.

Supporting Members of the Military Community

AIS is proud to support our nation and its service members. We continue to hire through the Microsoft Software and Systems Academy (MSSA) program, an industry-leading 17-week training for high-demand careers in the cloud. MSSA helps to transition service members with skills required for today’s fast-growing industry.

Grow with Us

We are proud to have a quickly growing team, some of who have been with AIS for upwards of 35 years. We feel that speaks to our commitment to our employees over the years they have been with us. Our people are the soul of AIS and make us who we are, with continued growth year after year. We’re a thriving group that works together to drive the mission of our clients forward. We search for individuals that are willing to learn and grow alongside us in an ever-evolving industry. If you’re looking for an opportunity to take your career to the next level, AIS is the place for you!