Colonel Stephen S. Kappa was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from the Officer Candidate School Class 95-67, 31 October 1967. His first duty assignment was as Tactics Instructor, Ranger Training Command, Fort Benning, Georgia. | His subsequent assignment include: Platoon Leader, 117 Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter), Long Bien, Republic of Vietnam; Assistant Brigade S-3, and later served as Headquarters Company Commander, and Aviation Section Commander, 2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Kitzingen, German; S-2, 1 Battalion, 201 Field Artillery, Fairmont, West Virginia; Battery Commander, 1st Battalion, 201 Field Artillery, Morgantown, West Virginia; S-2, 1st Battalion, 201' Field Artillery, Fairmont, West Virginia; S-1, Administration Officer, and later served as an Executive Officer and S-3, Combined Arms Command, Headquarters State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia; Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion, 201st Field Artillery, Fairmont, West Virginia; State Area Command Readiness Officer, and later served as Safety Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Headquarters, State Area Readiness Command, West Virginia Army National Guard, Charleston, West Virginia; Commander, 197th Regiment, Regional Training Institute, Kingwood, West Virginia. | Colonel Kappa retired from the West Virginia Army National Guard on 6 March 2001.