The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance is honored to announce First Lieutenant John Kearns as the Spring 2025 MG John G. Rossi Military Fellow.
1LT John Kearns is a native of Alexandria, Virginia, and a Field Artillery Officer in the Virginia Army National Guard. His air defense experience includes a deployment to the Middle East with the 29th Infantry Division as a Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM)/Counter-UAS Battle Captain supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. John started his Army career as a Battery Fire Direction Officer and is currently on an active-duty tour with the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. John is a graduate of the Army’s Officer Candidate School (OCS), Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader Course, C-RAM qualification course, and various courses from the Defense Nuclear Weapons School and the U.S. Army Nuclear and Countering-WMD Agency (USANCA). He is a graduate of James Madison University and is currently pursuing graduate study in nuclear deterrence issues through the Harvard Extension School.
The position is named in honor of Major General John G. Rossi, former Commanding General of the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence. MG Rossi was an exceptional leader in the field of air and missile defense. Prior to commanding FIRES, MG Rossi was the director of the Army Quadrennial Defense Review Office and served as the commanding general of the 32nd Army Air Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas. Prior to passing away in 2016, MG Rossi was nominated by the President to take command of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command. We are excited and honored to have First Lieutenant Kearns as part of our team; he joins a prestigious group of individuals who have previously served as a Rossi Fellow:
- Second Lieutenant John Middleton, Platoon Leader National Guard
- Captain Amanda Del Re, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Officer
- Captain Jason Roberts, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Officer
- Technical Sergeant Collin Meisel, U.S. Air Force
- Second Lieutenant Ian Heald, U.S. Army
- Second Lieutenant Nicholas Pacheco, U.S. Army
- Captain Cody Davis, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery Officer
- Captain Kyle Rehberg, U.S. Army
MDAA established the Major General John G. Rossi Military Fellowship in the Fall of 2016. This fellowship is open to current members of the United States armed forces and veterans who exemplify the exceptional characteristics of its namesake.
