Colorado Springs, Colorado / May 03, 2013
MDAA hosted the inaugural NORAD and USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year Award Ceremony on Friday May 03, 2013 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The award ceremony honored the best excellence of leadership within NORAD and USNORTHCOM, both military and civilian, for missile warning and missile defense in 2012.
These award recipients are recognized as exceptional individuals in the military and civilian fields of missile warning and missile defense for their role in defending the homeland and citizens of Canada and the United States. We recognize these leaders of excellence, from each country, for their vital role of preserving peace, deterring threats, and protecting the North American continent from ballistic missiles.
The award winners are:
- Missile Defense Career Achievement Award: Mr. Ernie Stern
- NORAD Missile Warning Professional of the Year: Lt Col Derek Geeskie, U.S. Air Force
- USNORTHCOM Civilian Missile Defender of the Year: Mr. Steven Piel
- USNORTHCOM Military Missile Defender of the Year: LCDR Douglas Pegher, U.S. Navy
For MDAA, this ceremony is the first to recognize Canada’s vital role in missile warning and also marks the first time for MDAA that civilians have been recognized at the same level as the military, within NORAD and USNORTHCOM, for their important role in this mission. Close to two thirds of the workforce at NORAD and USNORTHCOM are civilians.
The event sets new ground in bringing our allies, civilians and the military together for recognition and marks MDAA’s 5th “Defender of the Year” event creation.
The event was held in proximity to the eve of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of NORAD, May 12, 1958. NORAD was established for the defense of Canada and the United States.
It is always about developing the team, recognizing the team, and playing as a team to do extraordinary things. One of those extraordinary things is the protection of North America.
