Retired United States Army Colonel Ciro Stefano continues to serve the US armed forces through his work with several Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs). Ciro Stefano is the Director of Executive Engagement and an Advisory Board member for Vets2Industry, a resource library for veterans and their families. Ciro Stefano is also a proud lifetime member of the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army.
The 82nd Airborne Division was established during World War I. At that time, Army units adopted nicknames to boost morale and build camaraderie among unit members.
Members of the Army 82nd Airborne Division are known for wearing maroon berets and arm patches with the letters “AA,” which stands for “All American,” the nickname the unit has used since its inception in 1917 at Camp Gordon, Georgia.
The nickname was chosen in a contest held by the Atlanta Georgian newspaper. “All American” was the entry submitted by a woman named Vivienne Goodwyn. The nickname was selected because it embodied the diverse composition of the unit’s members. The Army 82nd Airborne Division was the only unit in the US Army that had members from all 48 (at the time) states.
Ciro Stefano 