Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2007
Gary Stephens – Rifle, 1984-1988
He was a NCAA All-American selection four years in a row. Stephens was named NCAA second-team in the smallbore rifle in 1985, 1986, 1987. He was a first team NCAA All-American in rifle in 1986, 1987, and 1988. During Stephens’ time with the MSU Rifle program they won two NCAA Championships and finished second twice.
He was commissioned a 2LT in the US Army in May 1988, in the Aviation Branch. He entered active duty in September 1988 and began his military career at the United States Army Aviation Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama. He attended the Aviation Officer Basic Course and the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course (flight school). After completing the OH-58D aviator qualification course he was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington as the Target Acquisition Reconnaissance Platoon Leader. He was deployed to Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm with the 1-101st Attack Helicopter Battalion. After completing the Aviation Officer Advance Course and the Maintenance Test Pilot Course he served as a staff officer and company commander in the 18th Aviation Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He later served as a company commander and fielded the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior to the 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany. While in command the unit deployed to Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia. While serving as an aviation observer-controller at the Combat Maneuver Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany, he was accepted into the Army Acquisition Corps. He earned a Masters degree at the Naval Postgraduate School. As a professional acquisition corps member he served as an assistant project manager in the Program Executive Office for Tactical Missiles in Huntsville, Alabama. He eventually served as the Department of the Army System Coordinator for Aviation Systems on the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology at the Pentagon, Virginia. This past summer he moved to Orlando, Florida and assumed duties as the Product Manager for Aviation and Command Tactical Trainers in the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation. He is an Army senior aviator with 18 years of service. He is married to Jodi and they have 3 children, Claudia , Henry and Stella.
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| Gary Stephens & Elvis Green | Allen Ward, Gary Stephens & Elvis Green |
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| Gary Stephens & Don Kristansen | Gary Stephens with Don & Leigh Ann Kristansen |
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| Class of 2007 Tony Wretlund, Jessica Widman-Grace, Ronald "Popeye" Jones, Jill Doty-Misner, Gary Stephens, & Dennis Jackson |
