Alexandra, Virginia / January 2014
After an outstanding year in Missile Defense, we recognize a remarkable feat of leadership within our Nation’s Missile Defense Community of the four Armed Service Branches for 2013. We are extremely proud to announce to you our Alliance’s annual Missile Defender of the Year Award recipients for 2013:
SSG Nancy Wingo
United States Army
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CPT Benjamin Szutar
United States Air Force
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LT Brandon Bridges
United States Navy
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SSG Nicholas Power
United States National Guard.
Each one of these individuals represents their platoons, flights, departments, crews, battalions, wings, ships and their branches in the most important and measurable way- leadership. The leadership ability of these young men and women to inspire their soldiers, sailors and airmen to complete extraordinary feats under extreme pressure in keeping our Nation and world safe for the year of 2013 is what we recognize, applaud and pay our deep respect and appreciation.
Each of these excellence of leadership winners for 2013 deployed and ran their missile defense systems to stabilize and bring peace to regions that were threatened most by ballistic missiles. LT Brandon Bridges served on the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system aboard USS Mahan that patrolled the waters off Syria. SSG Nicholas Power of the Alaskan National Guard served out of Fort Greely, Alaska, and oversaw daily the 26 ground based interceptors protecting our nation and territory from Hawaii to New York against North Korea, CPT Benjamin Szutar of the United States Air Force served out of Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado overseeing the daily information from our nation’s Defense Satellites Programs and SIBRIS High, which provide instant warnings and tracking’s of all and any ballistic missile launches around the world. SSG Nancy Wingo of the United States Army served out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, manning the Patriot TAC site platoon that was deployed to the Middle East in defense and deterrence against Iran.
These four men and women of our Military that selflessly serve and sacrifice themselves for our nation were honored and recognized this past Friday evening in Alexandria, Virginia at the 4th Annual MDAA Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony. Each of their military branches’ commanding flag officers presented the four award winners and recognized their outstanding display of excellence of leadership for 2013. The Chief of Naval Operations for the United States, Admiral Jon Greenert presented LT Brandon Bridges for the United States Navy. The Senior Army Air Defense officer, LTG Robert Lennox presented SSG Nancy Wingo for the United States Army. The Commanding General for US Army Space and Missile Defense and Army Strategic Command LTG David Mann, presented SSG Nicholas Power for the Army National Guard. LTG Judith Fedder of the United States Air Force presented CPT Benjamin Szutar for the United States Air Force. VADM Jim Syring Director of MDA, LTG Howard Bromberg, LTG David Halverson, MG John Rossi, RADM Thomas Rowden, BG Kennth Todorov and BG Michal Bridges were amongst our nation’s military leaders of missile defense that were in attendance honoring and showing support to these winners in leading their missile defense missions of excellence for 2013.
On behalf of our members, friends and associates, we are honored to bring forward the 4th annual MDAA “Missile Defender of the Year” event held in remembrance of the first use of Missile Defense in the protection and defense at the outbreak of Desert Storm in January, 1991.
The Defenders of the Year award winners are selected by their peers and commanding officers from the United States Army, United Sates Navy, United States Air Force and the United States National Guard.
Our nation, our troops and our allies are safer due to the performance of these young leaders that are duly recognized.
