Alexandria, Virginia / January 2011

On January 15th, 1991 soldiers from the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade changed modern day warfare forever when they successfully intercepted an Al Hussein Missile launched from Iraq headed towards Dhahran, Saudi Arabia with a Patriot Missile Defense Battery. This heroic act was played out multiple times in Dhahran, Riyadh and Tel Aviv. This validation of “active missile defense” by United States Soldiers under the harshest combat conditions laid the groundwork for what we have today; multiple layered, joint service-missile defense that protects tactical, operational and strategic assets from hostile missile attacks.

The award ceremony held in Alexandria, Virginia recognized and honored members of our military who command fully operational and deployed missile defense systems. The award is given to a United States Armed Forces service member from each branch that currently deploys a U.S. missile defense system. The Defenders of the Year are selected by their peers and commanding officers from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force and the National Guard. These select individuals represent the best in leadership and personal effort, demonstrating their commitment to excellence and their critical role in missile defense. They are an inspiration to their subordinates, peers and superiors.

Petty Officer First Class Shawn Andre Walker, United States Navy

Petty Officer First Class Shawn Andre Walker is the Acting Systems Test Officer/AEGIS Weapons System Supervisor on the US Aegis Destroyer USS O’KANE/DDG 77 deployed in the Persian Gulf.  Petty Officer Walker was born in Los Angeles, California in 1978 and majored in Biology at Michigan State and Rider University before enlisting in the Navy

First Lieutenant Brian K. Yoakam, United States Air Force

First Lieutenant Brian K. Yoakam is a Space Officer assigned to the 460th Operations Group at Buckley Air Force Base Colorado. Lieutenant Yoakam was born in Norfolk, Virginia on December 11, 1984. He was commissioned from the University of Virginia in 2007 to the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant. Lieutenant Yoakam was

First Lieutenant Ted M. Kimmey Jr., United States Army

First Lieutenant Ted M. Kimmey, Jr. serves as the Fire Control Platoon Leader for Charlie Patriot Battery, 5-7 ADA, Kaiserslautern, Germany. He previously served as the Headquarters Platoon Leader, Charlie Patriot Battery, 5-7 ADA, deploying in support of Operation Juniper Cobra 2010. First Lieutenant Kimmey was born in Newark, Delaware and graduated from University High