Courtesy Photo | Sgt. 1st Class Ignitious Harris, the U.S. Army Human Resources Command Soldier of the...... read more read more
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FORT KNOX, Ky. — For Sgt. 1st Class Ignitious Harris, being named U.S. Army Human Resources Command's Soldier of the Quarter wasn't something he expected.
"I was off that day, and I started getting a bunch of congratulations text messages," he said. "I got confused for a minute, then they told me I had won Soldier of the Quarter."
Harris, an information technology specialist assigned to HRC's Enterprise Modernization Directorate, said he never thought his name would be selected.
"I honestly didn't think I was going to win it," he said. "It kind of caught me off guard."
For Harris, the recognition reflects nearly 18 years of service built on a willingness to learn, adapt and invest in his Army career.
From Georgia to the Army
Originally from Augusta, Georgia, Harris grew up just minutes from Fort Gordon, but military service wasn't part of his family's history.
"I came from a working-class background," he said. "I was working at Burger King in high school and stuff like that. Nobody in my family had been in the military before."
Looking for a different path, Harris spoke with an Army recruiter and enlisted with the understanding that he could serve one enlistment before deciding whether to stay.
"It was really just that the recruiter got to me," he said. "I didn't have strong thoughts about it at first. I think part of me realized I didn't want to stay in the environment I grew up in, and the Army was an option to change that. The recruiter told me, 'Do six years and if you don't like it, you get out,'" Harris said. "And almost 18 years later, I'm still here."
He entered the Army as a 25B information technology specialist, a military occupational specialty that complemented his longtime interest in computers.
"I kind of got lucky," he said. "Growing up I was always around computers in high school, so when that was one of the options, I jumped on it."
Career and Leadership
Throughout his career, Harris has served in positions supporting Army systems, networks and personnel operations. Most recently, he served as the operations non-commissioned officer for HRC's Enterprise Modernization Directorate, managing taskings from higher headquarters.
The work ranged from HRC-specific events to cyber-related requirements, giving him exposure to a wide variety of missions.
Recently, Harris transitioned to a new section within EMOD and is continuing to learn the responsibilities that come with the role. He said the constant opportunity to learn is one of the things he enjoys most about his work. "I like learning new things," he said. "I don't like seeing the same stuff every day."
As a senior non-commissioned officer, one of Harris' greatest priorities is helping junior Soldiers adjust to HRC while reinforcing the fundamentals of being a Soldier.
"A lot of junior Soldiers come here straight from overseas," he said. "They haven't really been in motor pools or done a lot of the basic Soldier tasks recently."
He believes Army leaders should help bridge that transition through mentorship.
"One thing I care about is looking out for Soldiers and teaching them. I think that mentorship is something every leader can provide."
His leadership philosophy centers on accountability.
"If you're given something to do, be in charge of it," he said. "Take ownership of it."
He also reminds Soldiers not to let mistakes define them.
"Everybody makes mistakes," he said. "It's part of growing. The key is learning from it and applying it the next time."
Harris admits he once struggled with that himself.
"I used to be like that too," he said. "If I made a mistake, I'd overthink it. But you learn to move forward." Humility, he said, is equally important.
"Just keep an open ear," he said. "Be humble. If you think you know everything, you're wrong. There's always more to learn."
Education became another unexpected milestone during Harris' Army career.
Although he once believed he was finished with school after high school, encouragement from Army leaders convinced him to enroll in one online college class.
"I remember thinking I was done with school forever," he said. "But then I took one class online, and it wasn't that bad."
That first class eventually led to earning his bachelor's degree while serving on active duty.
"After that, I just kept going," he said.
Today, he encourages his Soldiers to take the same first step.
"At a minimum, take one class," he said. "You might realize it's not as bad as you thought."
Family First
Away from work, Harris enjoys fishing, going to the gym, volunteering, playing basketball and gaming online, but much of his free time revolves around his three children.
"My oldest plays basketball, my middle son plays football, and my youngest plays soccer," he said. "I'm constantly running around to practices and games."
As he approaches 18 years of Army service, Harris is considering what comes next, whether that's retirement or continuing his career in information technology as a federal civilian or in the private sector.
The decision, he said, will ultimately come down to what's best for those closest to him.
"At the end of the day, it's about what's right for my family," he said.
If he does leave active duty, Harris expects to remain in the IT field.
"I like the IT world," he said. "I could see myself doing something like a GS job or logistics work."
For now, Harris is focused on continuing to grow as a Soldier and leader while helping others do the same.
"I just try to keep learning, keep improving, and do right by the Soldiers around me," he said.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.08.2026 16:01 |
| Story ID: | 569578 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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