2015 Pacific Theater Air and Missile Defender of the Year
Honolulu, Hawaii / September 26, 2015
On Saturday September 26th, 2015 at the Moana Surfrider on the Hawaiian Islands, home to the United States Pacific Command, we brought forward our best U.S. war fighters in integrated air and missile defense from throughout the Pacific theater to be honored. The Pacific region has the most mature air and missile defense operational systems deployed in the world today in response to the most advanced ballistic and cruise missile threats to the United States and its allies. The United States Pacific Combatant Commander, Admiral Harry Harris, presented and spoke to our ten award recipients from the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines on their value in preserving the peace within the Pacific region. These ten awardees, including a Pacific Theater Achievement and Career Achievement, represented current United States integrated air and missile defense systems deployed throughout the Pacific today.
The 2015 Inaugural Pacific Theater Integrated Air and Missile Defense Award Winners
Army Winners:
From the 94th AAMDC Command, the best crew overseeing the two AN/TPY-2 forward-based radars deployed in Kyogamisaki and Shariki, Japan.
Sergeant Thomas O’Neal IV
Staff Sergeant Joe Chacon
Staff Sergeant Robert Field
Navy Winner:
Aegis BMD Ship-based Weapons and Combat Systems Operator, from the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53).
Lieutenant Commander Christopher Descovich
Marine Winner:
Major Jason Lambert
Air Force Winner:
Planner of the 613th Air Operations Center for the Pacific Theater of operations
Major David Pennington Jr.
Aegis Ashore Winner:
From the United States Navy, the Aegis Ashore winner from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii
Fire Controlman First Class Angela La’Vant
Space and Early Warning Winner:
From the United States Air Force, the Missile Warning Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Nuclear Operations Branch, for U.S. Pacific Command
Technical Sergeant Travis Hutts
Civilian Career Achievement Winner:
Joint Integrated Air & Missile Defense Organization liaison to USPACOM
Ed Stikeleather
Achievement in the Pacific Winner:
Commander Jonathan Lipps
Presenting the ten awards were Brigadier General Eric Sanchez United States Army, Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery United States Navy, Brigadier General John Hillyer United States Air Force, and Colonel Eddie Boxx United States Air Force.
Defenders of the Year
- 2017 Alaska Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 Dutch Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 European Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 Guam Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 Texas Defender of the Year
- Defender of the Month
- 2010 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2011 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2012 Peninsula Missile Defenders of the Year Award Ceremony
- 2012 U.S. Missile Defenders of the Year
- 2013 NORAD and USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year
- 2013 Peninsula Missile Defenders of the Year Award Ceremony
- 2013 Okinawa Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony
- 2013 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2014 European Missile Defender of the Year Ceremony
- 2014 Alaska Missile Defender of the Year
- 2014 United Arab Emirates Air and Missile Defender of the Year
- 2014 Peninsula Defender of the Year
- 2014 Okinawa Missile Defender of the Year
- 2014 NORAD and NORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year
- 2014 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 European Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 Alaska Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year
- 2015 Okinawa Defender of the Year
- 2015 Pacific Theater Air and Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 Japan Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 Peninsula Defender of the Year
- 2015 Guam Missile Defender of the Year
- 2015 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 United Arab Emirates Air and Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 European Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 Alaska Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning & Defender of the Year Award Ceremony
- 2016 Guam Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 Peninsula Defender of the Year
- 2016 Okinawa Missile Defender of the Year
- 2016 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 Japan Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year
- 2017 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year Award Ceremony
