Assistant Professor of Military Science This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(205) 975-1165

Captain Stephanie Gay is a native of Chicago, Illinois. She is the youngest of six children between her parents and the only girl of Homer Gay (Deceased) and Marshneil Gay. CPT Gay started her Army career on 25 September 2000 as a 51B, Carpentry Masonry Specialist. She graduated from Maria High School in May 2001 and went on to achieve her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University (NIU). While matriculating at NIU for her undergraduate career, CPT Gay became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc and she is still an active member of the organization today. She has received her MBA with an Emphasis in Management and Leadership from Webster University in May 2016 and her Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration with a Concentration in Higher Education Administration from University of Louisville in December 2019. CPT Gay has also earned her Project Management Professional Certification in April 2023. Her military education includes Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (BNCOC), Combat Lifesaver Course, Army Basic Instructor Course (ABIC), Small Group Instructor Course (SGI), ATRRS Operator Course, Senior Construction Leader Course (SLC), Antiterrorism Basic Course, Battle Staff NCO Course(BSNCOC), Foundation Instructor Facilitator Course (FIFC), Foundation Training Developers Course (FTDC), Instructor Supervisor Course (ISC), Intermediate Facilitation Skills Course, Cadre and Faculty Development Course (CFDC), Engineer Basic Officer Leadership Course, Project Engineer (ASI W6), Equal Opportunity Leader Course, Engineer Captain’s Career Course, USAR Security Manager Course, Training Plan Development Course, Training Management Course, Common Faculty Development-Instructor Course (CFD-IC), and she is currently enrolled in the Joint Engineer Operations Course (JEOC).

CPT Gay’s first assignment was as a Carpentry Masonry Specialist assigned to Bravo Company, 863^rd EN BN HVY as a Private E-2. Still new to the Army and her duties she made a large impression on the Company and Battalion Commander’s at the Annual Training in Camp Casey and Rodriguez Range, Korea. Once they returned stateside she was promoted to Private First Class and also given her first Army Achievement Medal. In March 2003 CPT Gay was involuntarily transferred to the 244^th EN BN in Colorado Springs, Colorado as a Specialist and deployed with them to FOB Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment CPT Gay worked on a variety of construction projects and was promoted to Sergeant in February 2004. She was then assigned as a Team Leader within her squad until the end of their deployment in May 2004.

CPT Gay reenrolled in college at NIU when she returned and spent some time in the school’s ROTC program where she also held various additional duties and positions. Upon hearing that her unit was in the rotation to deploy in June 2006 she withdrew from the program to use the experiences that she gained from her first deployment to assist her own unit as a Team Leader of her original squad. Her unit ended up not deploying at this time and CPT Gay was promoted to Staff Sergeant and took over the role of the Squad Leader. Her unit reflagged and became the 485^th Engineer Company during that time and she maintained her role as Squad Leader as well as many additional duties such as Unit Prevention Leader, Unit Public Affairs Representative, Assistant Training and Operations Sergeant as well as an Area of Special Emphasis as the Acting Platoon Sergeant in the absence of the Platoon Sergeant. CPT Gay also served on the 416th TEC Tiger Team under the G-4 section working to improve the Sets, Kits, and Outfits (SKOs) that her fellow Soldiers in line units use today from June-December 2009 such as the HIPPO system and several Kipper Tool Sets. In January 2010, CPT Gay was promoted to Sergeant First Class, took over as the Platoon Sergeant for her Platoon and led them into COB Adder, Tailil, Iraq through January 2011 where she continued her additional duties and worked as the Project NCOIC for 35 construction projects that her Platoon was assigned and completed.

CPT Gay promotion to Sergeant First Class required her to transfer to Detachment 1, 1-100th EN BN as an Instructor/Writer in April 2011. She was certified to instruct 12W1O, 12H3O ALC, 12H4O SLC, ABIC, SGI, and FIFC and she was assigned at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to the 1^st BDE (EN), 102^nd DIV (MS) schoolhouse. In December 2013 CPT Gay was promoted to Master Sergeant and served as a Chief Instructor/ Writer and the FLW Team Brigade Quality Assurance Officer. CPT Gay received her Commission as a Second Lieutenant in August 2015 through the Direct Commission commissioning source and was assigned to the 955^th Engineer Company (Horizontal) as a Platoon Leader. Then 2LT Gay and her Platoon completed several Troop Labor projects on Fort Leonard Wood improving a multitude of range roads and FOB areas that are still in use by Trainees and Tenant Units on Fort Leonard Wood today. In August 2017, CPT Gay was selected to the Army Reserve AGR Program as a First Lieutenant and assigned to her first duty location at the 321^st Engineer Company (Route Clearance) in Houston, TX as the Executive Officer/Operations OIC. While serving as the Executive Officer then 1LT Gay was able to redefine how the 321^st EN CO performed Route Clearance activities and how they trained those activities through the year both in Garrison as well as though maximizing the use of training areas and training lanes at Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, specifically identified for Route Clearance. CPT Gay was promoted in February 2021 and completed her Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 926^th Engineer Battalion as the Engineer Plans Officer in May 2021. In January 2022, CPT Gay became the Commander of the Forward Support Company, 926^th Engineer Battalion in addition to her Engineer Plans Officer role. She served in these roles concurrently until her PCS to the University of Alabama-Birmingham ROTC Department. CPT Gay is currently serving as an Assistant Professor of Military Science and Battalion Executive Officer and has been serving in that role since 21 August 2023.

CPT Gay’s awards include the Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Meritorious Service Award, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC), Army Achievement Medal with 2 OLC, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 4 OLC, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal with 2 Service Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hour Glass with Mobilization and Numeral 3, NCO Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 3, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 2, and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon.

CPT Stephanie Gay is single, with no children although she has several nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews that she loves as if they were her own children. She currently lives in McCalla, AL.