Dear Members and Friends,

As our world heightens in tensions from the Korean Peninsula to the Middle East – where Iran and North Korea are launching ballistic missiles and North Korea claiming it has miniaturized nuclear warheads for their ballistic missiles in response to allied military exercises this week – the United States 11^th Army Air Defense Artillery Brigade (11^th ADA) recognized the 25^th anniversary of the first ballistic missile intercept in combat by a United States Patriot system in Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas. In 1991, the first Patriot Intercept defended and protected Saudi Arabia’s Dhahran Airport and American forces in Saudi Arabia against SCUD missiles launched from Iraq.

Our nation’s and the world’s largest Air Defense Brigade made up of four Patriot Battalions and four THAAD batteries out of Fort Bliss, has deployed around the world, under orders from every single United States President since 1990, to defend American forces and Allies from Ballistic Missile threats.

“Every presidential administration from George H.W. Bush to Barak Obama has announced to the American people that the United States of America was deploying US Army Air and Missile Defenders, the 11^th ADA Brigade, to some strategically important and volatile location.” – Ret. Col. Joseph DeAntona and former captain and commander of Bravo Battery 2^nd Battalion, 7th ADA in 1991, who fired the first Patriot intercept – March 4, 2016, Fort Bliss Texas

11^th ADA Brigade Deployments of Highlight:

• 1990: President George H. W. Bush announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to Saudi Arabia in response to Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait
• 1994: President Bill Clinton announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to South Korea response to North Korea’s refusal to allow international inspectors access to North Korea’s nuclear sites
• 1998: President Clinton announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in response to Saddam Hussein’s refusal to allow international inspectors access to key military sites in Iraq
• 2002: President George W. Bush announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to Arabian Peninsula to prepare for Operation Iraqi Freedom
• 2006: President Bush announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to Arabian Peninsula as a unambiguous and visible signal to the Republic of Iran U.S. commitment to the whole region
• 2013: President Barack Obama announced the deployment of U.S. Army THAAD to island of Guam as a sign U.S. is committed to stabilizing the Asian-Pacific region
• February 2016: President Obama announced the deployment of U.S. Army Patriot to South Korea in response to North Korea’s unprovoked long range ballistic missile test launch

This is a remarkable testament to the validation of regional missile defense assets, in response to the heightening of tensions around the world, for the men and women fighting soldiers of the “go to” Army Air Defense Brigade – the 11^th “Imperial” Brigade.

MDAA was honored to attend the 11^th ADA BDE Ball to commemorate the 25^th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm last Friday evening in El Paso, Texas, with the Soldiers, friends, and family of the 11^th ADA, commanded by Col. Alan A. Wiernicki.

Letter from former President George H. W. Bush to the 11^th ADA:

Watch former Vice President Richard B. Chaney’s video message to the 11^th ADA Brigade.

“Train to Fight. Battle Ready.”

Riki