COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense celebrated its 10th anniversary during a dinner banquet at the Antler's Hilton here Jan. 15. Headquartered at Schriever Air Force Base, the command is tasked to implement U.S. Strategic Command's global synchronizer role for missile defense.
The dinner, hosted by JFCC IMD commanding general, Lt. Gen. David L. Mann, began two days of events attended by current and former members of the command. Retired Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, former commander of USSTRATCOM, was guest speaker for the evening's event.
"It's important to get you all together tonight to celebrate this anniversary and the great things you've done for America as a command over the last 10 years," Chilton said to the audience of nearly 200 service members, civilians, contractors and family members. "How you've grown, how you've matured, and how you always answer the call. So I couldn't be more pleased to be here."
"You are excellent at what you do," Chilton said. "You've been brilliant over the years and continue to do so. You're so important to the broader STRATCOM mission, which is really about deterrence," he added."
Chilton went on to talk about the importance of missile defense for deterrence not only for the nation but for America's allies.
"This is kind of a unique command in that it doesn't have assigned forces but it's charged to integrate missile defense around the globe in support of fielded forces, the homeland and our friends and allies," said Chilton. "What a tremendous challenge. And not only that, but to also integrate how we're going to do it and to advocate for the capabilities we need to get the job done.
"I tell people when JFCC IMD speaks, you better listen because they know their business," he added. "They get out; they get around the world; they have conversations with people; they understand their issues and their problems; and they know they can't solve all their problems, but they understand them. And then they come back and they teach senior leadership from the Pentagon on what they need to do."
Chilton continued, "This team has been and must continue to be the absolute experts on integrated missile defense for the defense of this nation, for our vital interests, for our regional allies and for our men and women who live in those regions and are deployed to those regions and will likely one day fight for those regions.
"In my view, missile defense will certainly play a key role in assuring allies and deterring adversaries, and should (adversaries) decide to get in a fight with us, making sure they lose," he said. "I can't emphasize enough the importance of this command to that mission."
Chilton concluded, "It is my great pleasure to be here with you tonight to celebrate on this 10th anniversary a command that was kind of like a new born infant 10 years ago with not a lot of capability, a lot of savvy or a lot of smack, and look at where you've come to today. What you're able to do and what you're able to get accomplished for the defense of the nation is absolutely amazing."
Mann also praised the command for its accomplishments in terms of the nation's security.
"STRATCOM, the nation, and the American public are receiving a tremendous return on investment," said Mann. "Whether it's supporting ongoing operations, whether it's making recommendations about how we should distribute those limited missile defense resources, or whether it's to advocate on behalf of the Warfighter to address an evolving threat that's looming out there on the horizon, it's just simply amazing that an organization of this size can accomplish all of those things and do so without a lot of fanfare. I'm just enormously proud of what you do day in and day out.
"Job well done. You're making a difference. The nation is benefitting from your service, and you need to feel very proud of what you're doing," Mann said.
The anniversary celebration consisted of the dinner banquet, followed by a State of the Command address, a senior leader panel, and family orientation the following day. Two former commanders, retired Lt. Gen. Kevin Campbell and retired Lt. Gen. Richard Formica, as well a previous senior leaders and staff members, were in attendance.
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