Alexandria, Virginia – January 20, 2023

MDAA brought forward our nation’s very best missile defender from each of the five military services from around the world to be honored and recognized for excellence in leadership in 2022. This leadership of excellence from our Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, and Space Force, represented the apex of U.S. missile defense around the world today and put forward under the command of the Commander in Chief, President Joe Biden.

The five honorees, Sergeant First Class Patrick Sharp of the U.S. National Guard, First Sergeant John O’Connor of the U.S. Army, Lieutenant Pasquale Cassese of the U.S. Navy, Airman First Class Garrett Tully of the U.S. Air Force, and Specialist 4 Jonah Friese of the U.S. Space Force, led from their positions of command and leadership to earn respect, trust, and honor for their actions in operating and further developing the most prominent integrated air and missile defense platforms and systems that have been put in place in the world today.