As an ADA second lieutenant, you may serve as a Patriot Launcher Platoon Leader. The highly skilled soldiers who will be under your command are the "shock troops" of theater air and missile defense. When sirens scream to announce the approach of incoming tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or aircraft, Patriot launcher crew members scramble to their duty stations while other soldiers rush to the sandbagged safety of bunkers.

The launcher platoon contains four launcher sections. Each section has two launching stations. Each launching station is manned by two crew members. As a launcher platoon leader, you'll train your crews in emplacement and reload procedures, making sure Patriot missiles are ready to fire on demand. You will direct highly trained specialists as they emplace, initialize and prepare Patriot launchers and launching stations to engage hostile tactical ballistic missiles and aircraft. When Patriot missiles explode from their launchers, it will be up to you to oversee the rapid reloading and preparations of the launchers for the next engagement.

You'll supervise as your platoon conducts battle damage assessments and pulls operator and organizational-level maintenance on Patriot missiles and components of the Patriot launching station. You will also learn to operate embedded computer diagnostic tools to test Patriot missiles and detect and correct launching station malfunctions and problems before they can interfere with the mission.

And like all Patriot officers, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that only your skill, expertise and dedication to duty can protect the force from weapons of mass destruction. You'll be a vital part of an elite team that can fight and win on 21st-century battlefields.