Dear Members and Friends,
In the midst of General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Commander United States Forces Korea, General James Thurman’s acknowledgment of a shift and request for more military resources in the Asia Pacific region, and the United States Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta’s alliance building tour of the western democracies in Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, and India, and the accusations of China shipping missile launchers into North Korea, MDAA took the liberty to visit, recognize, and honor over 3,000 of our nation’s missile defense war fighters deployed in this highly profiled region of the world.
These young United States sailors, soldiers, airmen, and Marines, who provide this region’s common air, land, and sea missile defense alongside their allied missile defense partners of Korea and Japan are unheralded in their valiant mission and duty. The highly technical and complex missile defense systems that they operate in providing a layered defense against the use of ballistic missiles in prevention of conflict, allows increased stability and great security for the economic growth and prosperity of this dominate region of the world. These missile defense systems and their sophisticated integration cannot and will never operate by themselves. The men and women that operate and command these systems are the ones who make the true difference in accomplishing their mission. Their selfless service of tours of duty, in a “We Fight Tonight” environment, against a unpredictable and provocative enemy with overwhelming artillery, ballistic missiles, and a 9.4 million man army is wholly dependent on the excellence of their teamwork and their ability to execute these sophisticated missile defense systems. They are the “First to Fire” if deterrence fails, in defensive protection, and they are the first to be assessed on their ability to perform their mission when deterring their enemy from ever firing.
This defensive team, made up of the diversity that is our military services from all over our country, battles and wins every day that there is no conflict. These men and women deployed in Korea and Japan are judged by the prevention of conflict and the excellence of their performance with these complex systems. They all duly should be noted for the great mission they do in Asia while providing peace and security. They are to be commended and greatly appreciated for their valor, commitment and sacrifice.
On behalf of our mission, members, and the American public who support for Missile Defense we give great thanks, respect and admiration to our troops in Asia. MDAA visited twenty U.S. missile defense sites, installations, and commands on sea and land in this region over the past two weeks to recognize and show support from our public to these outstanding 3,000 plus U.S. missile defense fighters.
