Dear Members and Friends,
On January 11th, 2013 MDAA was honored to host the second annual “Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony” in Alexandria, Virginia. The Missile Defender of the Year is awarded to the best U.S. missile defense Solider, Sailor, Airman, and National Guardsman for the year.
These four select individuals represent the best in leadership and personal effort, demonstrating their commitment to excellence and their critical role in missile defense. They are an inspiration to their subordinates, peers, and superiors.
The sincerity, heartfelt passion, awe of appreciation, self humility, and love of missile defense was on full display as these young men were recognized as heroes in the unsung field of their profession for all they do for our nation.
Sergeant Aric Wilkins Captain Kyle Kirkpatrick, Capt. Gregory Tengco, and Fire Controlman Second Class Petty Officer Ronald Barbee are four men who lead by true excellence, which is contagious to their units, teams, and commands.
2012 Missile Defenders of the Year:
Sergeant Aric Wilkins, Army National Guard
From 2009 to present Sergeant Wilkins serves as Communications Operator for the 49th Missile Defense Battalion, Alaska Army National Guard. From 2002 to 2009 Wilkins served as Air Defense Gunner/Team Chief for the 2nd/ 263rd ADA, South Carolina Army National Guard.
Sergeant Wilkins’ decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device, and Army Service Ribbon.
Captain Kyle Kirkpatrick, United States Army
Captain Kyle L. Kirkpatrick was born in Longview, Washington. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in University Studies from Brigham Young University-Idaho. In 2000, Kyle enlisted in the Idaho National Guard as a Cannoneer (13B) and went to Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sill, OK. CPT Kirkpatrick was among the first of three to commission as Second Lieutenants from BYU-I in the United States Army where he was selected to the Air Defense Artillery Branch.
CPT Kirkpatrick was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery at Fort Campbell, KY. He also served as the very first Executive Officer for HHC, 1st Space Brigade at Peterson AFB, Colorado Spring, CO. He later went on to serve as the Vice Chief of Brigade Plans with 1st Space Brigade. After attending the Air and Missile Defense Captains Career Course he was assigned to the 6th Air Defense Artillery Brigade as the Brigade Adjutant during 6th ADA Brigade’s BRAC move from Fort Bliss, TX to Fort Sill, OK. After 21 months commanding B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery at Fort Sill, OK he was selected to command A Battery, 3rd Air Defense Regiment (JLENS) at Dugway Proving Ground, UT.
His personal decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (3OLC), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Citation. He also wears the Air Assault Badge, Parachutist’s Badge, Air Force Space Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.
Captain Gregory Tengco
Captain Gregory F. Tengco is a Missile Warning Crew Commander assigned to the 12th Space Warning Squadron as a Flight Commander, Thule Air Base, Greenland. He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and attended the University of New Mexico where he received his Bachelors degree and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force.
He was assigned to Malmstrom AFB in 2007 as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Officer. At Malmstrom AFB, Captain Tengco was awarded Squadron Company Grade Officer of the Year, Group Company Grade Officer of the Quarter, and Wing Company Grade Officer of the Quarter. In 2011 he was assigned to the 12th Space Warning Squadron at Thule AB, Greenland where he has served as a Missile Warning Crew Commander and currently serves as the Operations Support Flight Commander.
His military awards include the Combat Mission Readiness Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Captain Tengco attends classes at Colorado State University in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is working toward a Master’s Degree in Business.
Fire Controlman Second Class Petty Officer Ronald Barbee
Fire Controlman Second Class Ron H. Barbee hails from Fort Wayne Indiana. He joined the Navy two years after graduating high school in 2009 and completed his “C” school for the SPY-1D Radar System and follow-on Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) course in 2011.
He reported onboard the USS Stethem (DDG 63), assigned to the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces in Yokosuka, Japan, in 2011. As a SPY-1D technician he has spent hundreds of hours performing both routine and corrective maintenance. Barbee takes great pride in keeping the USS Stethem’s SPY-1D radar fully operational.
In addition to excelling in his role as a SPY-1D maintenance technician, he also expertly performs duties as a Radar System Controller (RSC) and Mission Planner Operator. He has supported numerous BMD and surveillance missions, both as a technician and as an operator, in the Western Pacific and Arabian Gulf.
These four outstanding young men represent their unit or ship as extensions of all those that they work with and the missile defense systems they operate. They represent the best of the military’s current and future missile defense capability to make our nation and world safer.
We commend their role and those of our military war fighters who bring these missile defense systems to life to operate, command, defend and protect against the growing and current threats of nuclear proliferation and ballistic missiles.
Their future is our future as a nation, a military, and a missile defender; upon their shoulders lay responsibilities that match expectations to achieve much more greatness than what they are recognized for this past year.
Yet their climb to this level is and always will be upon their teammates, battle buddies, shipmates, parents and, most importantly, their partners in life-their three wives.
We honored these men with affection and tribute for what they have done and also for what they are about to do.
The United States military presenters to the award recipients from the respective services were COL Ted Hildreth of the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, United States Army National Guard, COL (P) Donald Fryc, Commandant of the Air Defense Artillery School of the United States Army , Lt. Gen. Judith Fedder Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support of the United States Air Force, and Vice Admiral William Burke, Deputy Chief of Naval Warfare Systems of the United States Navy.
