SSG Joshua Patch ADA Avenger Team Personnel 

2024 NCR Defender of the Year

SSG Joshua Patch is currently assigned as the NCOIC of Avenger Team 10, 3rd Squad, Shooter Battery, 1st Platoon, 1-174 Air Defense Artillery Regiment. 

His team was nominated for the MDAA award by his Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant.  Team 10 has consistently hovered at, or around, the top teams within the Platoon for this mission.  SSG Patch is credited for this success. 

His dedication to duty, leadership attributes, and technical competence of the Avenger System has bolstered the team’s readiness for his team during Exercise America Shield, the unit’s pre-deployment Culminating Training Event (CTE), and throughout the NCR mission.  His team achieved “Top Gun” performances during the live fire exercise at CTE and again during the mission’s first Falcon Virgo event. 

SSG Patch enlisted in the Army in April 2009 and has been assigned to the 3-4 ADA BN; 108th Airborne Division; and both Alpha and Bravo Battery, 1-174 ADA BN.  Upon completion of this mission, he will be assigned to HHB Battery, 1-174 ADA BN.  SSG Patch has graduated the Army’s Basic Leader Course and has completed Distributed Leader Course II.  He has also completed airborne and unit armorer training.  This is his third mission in the NCR in support of Operation Noble Eagle; with his previous missions being in 2014-15 and 2018-19.  SSG Patch was also involved in Operation Anaconda (Poland) in 2016 and was amongst the first US Soldiers to fire a live missile in Europe since WWII. 

His military medals and awards include: 1- Army Commendation Medal; 1- Army Achievement Medal; 3- Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal; 1- National Defense Service Medal; 1- Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device; 1- Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon; 1- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; 2- Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon; and 3- Ohio Award of Merit Ribbon. 

SSG Patch’s civilian occupation is as a supervisor for customer service at Spectrum.  He enjoys working out, running, and spending time with his family in his spare time.  SSG Patch resides with his wife, Rachel, and three children (ages 15, 8, and 3) in Kettering, Ohio. 

Defenders of the Year