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On Any Given Day

July 21, 2020
Then Lieutent General Hokanson addresses question at his confirmation hearing on June 18, 2020. (Source: WNYC)

“On any given day, Guard members and Reservists serve in nearly every layer of our Nation’s defense as articulated in the 2018 National Defense Strategy. They perform missile defense missions, counterdrug missions, provide COVID-19 testing and PPE distribution, provide for air defense of the National Capital Region, flood support, cybersecurity support, wildfire response, and support every Combatant Commander across the globe with combat-credible forces. Proper manning, training, and equipping of the National Guard enables the Department of Defense to compete where and how it chooses, and also maintain ready, resilient and lethal forces for contingencies overseas.” Lt General Dan Hokanson June 18, 2020 at his conformation hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Earlier this week, the US Senate confirmed LTG Dan Hokanson to the Chief of the National Guard Bureau​ and the Secretary of Defense Mark Esper announced promotion of LTG Dan Hokanson to General . General Dan Hokanson becomes the 29th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, joining the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Dan Hokanson has a command history of defending the U.S. Homeland as the Deputy Commander of NORTHCOM under both Admiral William Gortney and General Lori Robinson. As the current Director of the Army National Guard, he had the responsibility of providing National Guardsmen to command and operate the ballistic missile defense of the United States, the air and missile defense of the National Capital Region, the base defense of the THAAD battery protecting Guam, the C-RAM battalions defending US forward operating bases in Middle East, and the deployment of the first M-SHORAD battalion to Europe. These National Guardsmen operating missions critical to our national security and our Homeland are rapidly expanding and evolving. The new concepts of Under Layer for the U.S. Homeland, Integrated Cruise Missile Defense, IFPIC, LRDR, U.S. Homeland sensors, Space Force, Aegis Ashore America, and the SHEILD will have National Guardsman operating those systems.

The demand, the growth and the reality of the increased dependency along with DOD efficiency is coming to the National Guard and it’s new Chief.

“The NDS notes that the United States is in the midst of a rapidly changing world, with revisionist powers challenging the international order and attempting to reshape and influence regions to suit their interests. More importantly, the recognition in the NDS that the Homeland is no longer a sanctuary has become increasingly apparent “ Lt Gen Hokanson on June 18, 2020 at his confirmation hearing.

MDAA has had the honor of recognizing the National Guardsman in their excellence of the missile defense mission with General Dan Hokanson in the National, NORTHCOM/NORAD​, and the NCR Missile Defender of the Year events.

General Dan Hokanson is the Leader at the right time, at the right place, for the right reasons. Our Nation and our world will be better for it​.​

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Mission Statement

MDAA’s mission is to make the world safer by advocating for the development and deployment of missile defense systems to defend the United States, its armed forces, and its allies against missile threats.

MDAA is the only organization in existence whose primary mission is to educate the American public about missile defense issues and to recruit, organize, and mobilize proponents to advocate for the critical need of missile defense. We are a non-partisan membership-based and membership-funded organization that does not advocate on behalf of any specific system, technology, architecture or entity.

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