Washington D.C. / January 8, 2016

On Friday January 8th, 2016 the best U.S. missile defenders in 2015 for the United States Army, Air Force, Navy and National Guard were honored at an award ceremony in Washington D.C.

It was the Sixth “Missile Defender of the Year” award ceremony to be hosted by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance beginning in 2010. The purpose of this award is to recognize exceptional individuals and their role in defending our homeland, armed forces, and allies. Recognizing them helps to educate the American public and inspire those they work with to defend our nation.

Awardees are selected by their peers and commanding officers for demonstrating extraordinary excellence in the operation of the nation’s missile defense systems at home and overseas over the past year.

The winners of the 2015 MDAA Missile Defender of the Year Awards are:

Major Michael D. Sward

U.S. Air Force

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Captain Jason Roberts

U.S. Army

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Staff Sergeant Trampas J. Vojtasek

U.S.Army National Guard

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Fire Controlman First Class Petty Officer Elizabeth J. Clark

U.S. Navy

Presenting the Awards at the ceremony were Vice Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michelle Howard (USN), Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management Lieutenant General David D. Halverson (USA), Vice Chief of Staff General David L. Goldfein (USAF), and Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Frank J. Grass (USARNG).

Fire Controlman First Class Petty Officer Elizabeth J. Clark

FC1 Clark was born in Vancouver Washington on the 15th of October 1987. She graduated from Deer Park High School in 2006 and enlisted in the United States Navy in March of 2010. After completion of Recruit Training at RTC Great Lakes she attended FC “A” school at NTC Great Lakes and completed FC “C”

Staff Sergeant Trampas J. Vojtasek

SSG Vojtasek stands well apart from his peers in the service he has rendered to his unit, and the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program. In his primary duties he serves as the 49th Missile Defense Battalion Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear NCO. He performs his full-time duties and responsibilities supporting HHB and the Battalion S-3 and

Major Michael D. Sward

Major Michael D. Sward is a Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defense Staff Officer, Space and IAMD Division, Operations Directorate, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii. He is responsible for providing strategic advice and support to the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, and synchronizing the employment of joint, Pacific IAMD capabilities for regional and homeland

Captain Jason Roberts

Captain Jason Roberts is a 2004 graduate of Mars Hill College. He attended Graduate School at Appalachian State University where he received his commission into the Air Defense Artillery in 2006. Following his commission, he attended the Basic Officer Leader Course and the Air Defense Officer Basic Course. His first assignment was in Echo Battery,