WASHINGTON DC, April 22, 2009 — Riki Ellison, Chairman of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org announced today that Mr. John Rood, the State Department’s former Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security for the past two years has accepted a position on the MDAA Advisory Board.

With the addition of Mr. John Rood’s extensive expertise on U.S policy and international relations surrounding missile defense over the past years, MDAA enhances both the technical and policy credibility of the most comprehensive and experienced group of missile defense experts in the world. Rood has 17 years of experience in working missile defense issues for the United States and brings experience associated with his assignments at the State Department, the Department of Defense, the CIA and as a staffer on Capitol Hill.

John Rood joins fellow former Undersecretary Ambassador Bob Joseph who served the State Department from 2005 until 2007 and three former Directors of the Missile Defense Agency, who have served the agency from 1996 until 2008, Ret. Lt. General Henry Obering, Ret. Lt. General Ronald Kadish and Ret. General Lester Lyles who was the former Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, the precursor to the Missile Defense Agency.

Riki Ellison stated “We believe that our organization continues to establish a working group of non-government missile defense experts unmatched by any organization in the world. Our Advisory Board is now in a better position to advise on the current and future international implications for missile defense around the world. John Rood played a significant U.S. role for the negotiation and completion of agreements with Poland and the Czech Republic to host a European Missile Defense Site and Radar. The Advisory Board will help us in our grassroots educational efforts across this nation and around the world to support the development and continued deployment of our nation’s missile defense systems. The recent remarks by President Obama and the behavior of both Iran and North Korea remind us that the United States must remain vigilant, strong and continue to fully support missile defense to protect the American public and our armed forces.”