NC State Alum Joseph Stepp Takes Command of North Carolina Air National Guard

As NC State alum Joseph (Jaye) Stepp, who recently rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force, strode through the hallways of Reynolds Coliseum, he reflected on how much the building had changed since his graduation in 1993. 

Upon entering the Air Force ROTC suite, however, General Stepp was struck by a sense of familiarity. Stepp, promoted to Assistant Adjutant General for Air and Commander of the North Carolina Air National Guard in May, felt memory lane beckoning as he returned to the place where his military career path started over three decades ago, as a member of Detachment 595 at NC State. 

“I’m humbled to represent both the university and Detachment 595 at the next level,” Stepp said. 

After graduating from NC State and being commissioned from the ROTC program to serve in the active duty Air Force, Stepp began his post-college career as an aircraft maintenance officer at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, the last Air Force Base still with F-111 aircraft. 

It was during his time in New Mexico that Stepp learned about the North Carolina Air National Guard.  He was selected for a pilot training slot in 1996 and transferred back to North Carolina, where he spent the next nine years as a part-time guardsman. Stepp served as a C-130 copilot, aircraft commander, and instructor/evaluator pilot during that time. 

Learn more about the North Carolina Air National Guard.

In 2005, he was selected for a full-time position in the Air National Guard and served in that capacity until his promotion in May, where he served as the commander of an aircraft maintenance squadron, airlift squadron, operations group, and eventually wing commander. 

As commander now, Stepp, a Hendersonville native, is responsible for the readiness, training and equipping of more than 1,400 Citizen Airmen in the 23 North Carolina Air National Guard units.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue serving the nation, the state and the airmen of the unit,” Stepp said. “But it’s because of the people I worked with, plain and simple. I was fortunate to get to do what I wanted to do ever since I was a little kid, which was to be a pilot in the Air Force.” 

I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue serving the nation, the state and the airmen of the unit.

Stepp said his time at NC State prepared him for his military career. He grew up an NC State fan, so everything from attending and watching sporting events to performing his ROTC duties made him proud. 

Stepp also got a chance to follow in the footsteps of his father, who graduated from NC State in 1969 after participating in Army ROTC. Stepp feels a sense of pride to represent the university and the ROTC program at the next level. 

“From the university’s perspective, for me, it was an outstanding experience with education and training both personally and professionally,” Stepp said. 

As part of Stepp’s visit to the NC State detachment, current cadets got to speak with him, learn about his experiences and hear his advice for their post-college military careers. 

“It was incredible for me to see somebody who is still invested in our detachment,” said Rileigh Sevigny, a senior cadet who will be commissioned in the Air Force Reserves as a Second Lieutenant in May 2024.  “It was really exciting and also a little bit nerve wracking, just because of his rank, but he was so approachable and kind. It was great to get some of his perspective, especially as I’m about to graduate.” 

It was incredible for me to see somebody who is still invested in our detachment.

When asked what he wished he’d known during his time as an ROTC cadet, Stepp said that he would have liked to be more aware of how the Air Force functions as a component of the larger joint force and Department of Defense, and that he hopes current cadets are learning more about that. 

He also stressed the importance of understanding the Air National Guard and Reserve components outside of active duty as a post-graduation service option. Stepp said that for service members looking to start families and avoid relocating, joining the guard or reserve allows them to continue living and working in the same area while continuing their service. 

When it came to imparting advice to current cadets and newly commissioned service members, Stepp focused on three key tenants: gratitude, attitude and magnitude. He explained that he remains thankful for his time at NC State and the opportunities Air Force ROTC provided him, and that he hopes current cadets feel the same sense of gratitude. 

Stepp stated that maintaining a positive attitude to life and the challenges service members will face after graduation is critical, as is looking at the magnitude of what they’re doing and making the most of their NC State experience. He also stressed adhering to the Air Force’s core values of integrity, service before self and excellence.

“What I would submit as good advice and a good example to live by is live it at home, live it in your community and live it at work, and it’ll become part of who you are and part of who your organization is,” Stepp said. 

Live it at home, live it in your community and live it at work.

Reflecting on his time at NC State, Stepp said his favorite part of the ROTC experience was the relationships he formed with his fellow cadets and the leadership cadre, and how valuable those became for his military career. 

“The relationships and learning to make challenging things accessible and make them happen through the use of teamwork and meeting people from across the state and country that had common values and common goals, that was priceless from my perspective,” he said.