This is a special night where we gather annually here in the National Capital Region to recognize the best of the best in the missile defense profession. On January 17th in Alexandria Virginia, the 15th annual Missile Defender of the Year awards ceremony took place. In the National Security area, 2024 has been the biggest and most consequential year for missile defense in our history.
We honorably host this annual event on the date of the first missile defense intercepts of Iraqi ballistic missiles on January 18, 1991 by the Patriot Missile Defense System operated by our nation’s soldiers during the Gulf War.
This past year of 2024, there have been thousands of rockets, missiles, and drones launched in combat, including many at U.S. and allied forces, in places like the Red Sea, Israel, and Ukraine, not to mention the threatening missile tests and demonstrations of military capabilities that China and North Korea have done in the Asia-Pacific region. And time again, we’ve seen the missile defense systems developed and operated, including by the people in this room, save lives.
The missile and drone threat continues to grow and we live in an age where missiles and drones are primary instruments of warfare. One only has to look at the war in Ukraine, in Gaza, and in the Red Sea to see this… and these are not the only places. Missile attacks and missile defense intercepts have become a regular occurrence week after week in these conflicts. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia has fired well over 10,000 ballistic, cruise, hypersonic missiles, and drones in that war and thousands and thousands of them have been intercepted.
This Noble Mission to defend and defeat missiles and drones for the United States that we honor has become over the past two decades a Joint World Championship Culture of Excellence across the United States Military Services. This World Champion Culture of Excellence is reflected by the awardees and their team led heroics in defeating and defending missile attacks to the United States, its Allies and Partners. This is the first time in the history of the 15 Missile Defender of the Year that we have honored a combat shootdown of missiles and drones from the United States Air Force and its F-15E crew.
Winners associate with Winners, and we associate with Winners to Win on missile defense, this is World Champion Culture of the Joint Force on Missile Defense
We were honored to have Admiral James Kilby, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Lieutenant General Sean Gainey, Commander of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Lieutenant General Dag Anderson, The Joint Staff Director for Joint Force Development/J7, Major General Steven Whitney The Director of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Space Force, Brigadier General Jason W. Knight, The Deputy Director of Space Operations, National Guard Bureau amongst our guests to honor and recognize our six 2024 Missile Defender of the Year award winners from our nations 5 Military Services – Army, Navy, Air Force, Space and National Guard
United States Air Force
Awardees: Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Murphy and Major Sebastian Kaiser
Presented by Lieutenant General Dag Anderson and Colonel Reed Kastner
Recognized for:
Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Murphy performed in Operation True Promise I and II, leading multiple wings under his command in the F-15 on April 13. He showed brilliance and courage in the face of the largest missile and drone attack in Israel’s history, protecting U.S. and Coalition forces from aerial munitions and leading every member of his team back to their landing zone after engagement.
Major Sebastian Kaiser was one of many F-15E aircrew who flew the night of April 13, 2024, employing four AIM-120s, three AIM-9X missiles, and one GBU-54, resulting in seven one-way UAS kills and successfully defending U.S. and Coalition forces from Iranian aggression during the largest drone attack in history, achieving strategic de-escalation objectives in the middle east.
United States National Guard
Awardee: Major Abby Schroll
Presented by Brigadier General Jason W. Knight
Recognized for:
Major Abby Schroll played an instrumental role in setting the conditions for the battalion’s successful pre-mobilization training and deployment to the National Capital Region (NCR). Worked tirelessly with mission partners to ensure the battalion was prepared to achieve all training objectives during the Culminating Training Event (CTE) at Fort Bliss, Texas.
United States Space Force
Awardee: First Lieutenant Cassandra Richmond
Presented by Major General Steven Whitney
Recognized for:
First Lieutenant Cassandra Richmond Served as The Deputy Detachment Commander, Detachment 2, 5th Space Warning Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar. She oversaw the training, readiness, operations, and system sustainment of 20 personnel for the Joint Tactical Ground Station. She was responsible for providing real-time theater missile warning via Overhead Persistent Infrared, passing critical information to the warfighters in support of regional Combatant Commanders.
United States Army
Awardee: First Lieutenant Stephen Hansmann
Presented by Lieutenant General Sean Gainey
Recognized for:
First Lieutenant Stephen Hansmann served as a Maneuver Short Range Air Defense Platoon Leader; he deployed to Poland in support of Operation European Assure Deter and Reinforce (EADR) and conducted air defense systems analysis within the AFRICOM area of responsibility, distinguishing him for this award.
United States Navy
Awardee: Fire Controlman Petty Officer 1st Class Julian Smith
Presented by Admiral James Kilby
Recognized for:
Fire Controlman Petty Officer 1st Class Julian Smith distinguished himself for this award by “Revolutionizing fleet tactics,” fundamentally changing the execution of BMD missions. By spearheading this tactical development, he played a critical role in the advancement of tactics, techniques, and procedures at the Task Force and numbered Fleet Commander level, showcasing performance far above what is expected of a first-class petty officer.
SAGE Award
Awardee: Major Abby Schroll
Presented by Lieutenant General Sean Gainey
Sage Award for individual Air Defense excellence in the Army National Guard! Sage Award winners represent the very best in our formations, individuals whose consistent performance, innovation and dedication resulted in significant contributions to the ADA’s warfighting capabilities and readiness.
The Sage Award is named for Maj. Gen. Charles G. Sage, who during World War II commanded the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment (Anti-Aircraft). He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for the defense of Clark Field on December 7th 1941, and later covered critical points on routes of withdrawal to the Bataan Peninsula. This award recognizes the Army National Guard (ARNG) individual ADA Officer, Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) or Soldier whose achievements are judged superior to their peers based on the criterion of leadership, tactical proficiency, selfless service, and commitment to excellence. The recipient’s contributions significantly enhanced ADA’s warfighting capabilities and readiness.
United States Army SHIPTON Award
Awardee: First Lieutenant Stephen Hansmann
Presented by Lieutenant General Sean Gainey
Shipton Award winners represent the very best in our formations. They are individuals whose consistent performance, innovation, and dedication have significantly enhanced the ADA’s warfighting capabilities and readiness.
The Shipton Award is named for Brig. Gen. James A. Shipton, the founding father of the Air Defense Artillery branch. The Shipton Award is presented annually to an individual ADA officer, noncommissioned officer (NCO) or enlisted soldier whose achievements are judged superior to their peers based on the criterion of leadership, tactical proficiency, selfless service, and commitment to excellence. The recipient’s contributions significantly enhanced ADA’s warfighting capabilities and readiness. The award has been presented annually since 2010.
