January 23, 2024 [link removed] copy and paste this link to read the alert on MDAA's website. Follow and Support MDAA   MDAA Alert: 2023 Missile Defender of the Year 2023 MDAA Missile Defender of the Year awardees with VIPs at the award ceremony in Alexandria, VA. January 19, 2024 Dear Members and Friends, Winners associate with winners and we associate with winners to win on Missile Defense. Last Friday evening we held our 14th Missile Defender of the Year event in Alexandria, VA. This event uniquely and with intent and with purpose is held in honor and recognition of the 33rd anniversary of the first intercepts of Iraqi ballistic missiles by the Patriot Missile Defense System operated by our nation’s soldiers defending US and allied forces during the 1991 Gulf War. This event is about our best people, our champions and forces that have the noblest of missions to defend lives in our homeland and American lives in forward operating bases, forts, and at sea across the planet with our allies. This has been a remarkable year for the amount of missiles that have been shot in the past year – with Hamas launching over 9,500 missiles, rockets, and drones at Israel; Russia firing over 7,400 missiles at Ukraine; and Houthis launching over 50 missiles at Israeli and shipping targets – the amount of missiles being used with the intent to kill have been immense. This past year is an even more remarkable year for all those champions, winners and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Guardians that led with excellence in operating the Missile Defense Systems that defended lives and infrastructure helping to make the world and nation safer. We Honor them and Recognize their Service for the betterment of our Nation We have 5 outstanding award recipients. These five honorees, MAJ Patrick Sheehan, LCDR Rebekah Fleming, SSgt John Brannon, Sgt Matthew Critchley, and CPT Zac Buenger represent the best in leadership, trust, and honor for their actions in operating the most capable and resilient missile defense systems in the world today. We were all honored to have the new Commander of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Lieutenant General Sean Gainey who presented the Army and National Guard 2024 Missile Defender of the Year recipients. We had the honor for Col. King to present both the SAGE award to Major Patrick Sheehan and SHIPTON award to Captain Zac Buenger. It is to be noted that our Navy 2024 MDAA Missile Defender of the Year recipient, LCDR Rebekah Fleming, was on duty as the Combat Systems Officer the USS Carney BMD Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer on patrol in the Red Sea actively leading the missile defense of her ship and crew and Allied partner nations in defending against Houthi missile attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. Awardees: Major Patrick Sheehan, US National Guard Awardee; SAGE award winner Lieutenant Commander Rebekah Fleming, U.S. Navy Awardee Staff Sergeant John Brannon U.S. Air Force Awardee Sergeant Matthew Critchley, U.S. Space Force Awardee Captain Zac Buenger, U.S. Army Awardee; SHIPTON Award Winner A special thanks to the following for joining us and winning as a team: LTG Sean Gainey, Commanding General, U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense Maj Gen David Meyer, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force RADM Fred Pyle, Director, Surface Warfare Division, N96, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Brig Gen Jim Smith, Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, Headquarters United States Space Force COL Curtis King, 45th Commandant of the U.S. Army ADA School Respectfully, Riki Ellison Chairman and Founder Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance   Click Here to Join MDAA _____________________________________________________________________ MDAA is a non-profit, non-partisan tax-exempt 501(c) (4) organization. Our mission is to make the world safer by advocating for the development and deployment of missile defense systems to defend the United States and its allies against missile threats. We are a membership-funded organization that does not advocate on behalf of any specific system, technology, architecture or entity. Founded in 2002, MDAA is the only organization in existence whose primary mission is to recruit, organize, and mobilize proponents to advocate for the critical need of missile defense. Visit our website www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org for more information.   Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance 515 King Street, Suite 330 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: (703) 299-0060 Email: [email protected]   Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance | 515 King Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!