Defense Manufacturer Honors U.S. Army Ranger Hero for His Actions During a Taliban Gun Attack in Afghanistan
It is not every day that a National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) member has the opportunity to meet an end user of their products, particularly when that end user is a real American hero. But recently, Southern Manufacturing Technologies (SMT) in Tampa, Florida had the privilege of recognizing Corporal Stevan Hollahan, a U.S. Army Ranger, for his record launch of a Javelin Missile.
Left to Right: Marci Vucich, Cobham PLC, Corporal Stevan Hollahan, Al Card, Southern Manufacturing Technologies, Barry James, Lockheed Martin, Tom Yandell, Cobham PLC, Paula Blanda, Stevan's Mom, and Roy Sweatman, President of Southern Manufacturing Technologies
Hollahan successfully defended his unit from a fierce machine gun attack by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. Firing the missile from over a mile away, Hollahan hit his target in the longest recorded use of this weapon to date.
SMT supplies parts for the Javelin Missile. The company honored Corporal Hollahan at a ceremony at its Tampa Plant on July 22nd. SMT President Roy Sweatman presented Hollahan with an award for his brave and historic use of the Javelin Missile.
"We were truly honored to host Corporal Hollahan at this special event," said Sweatman. "The men and women at SMT are proud of the role they play in supporting our military. This was an opportunity to say thank you to a brave soldier defending our country. It is also a reminder about the critical role small and medium sized manufacturers in this country play in providing critical parts for defense systems for the military.”
Corporal Stevan Hollahan and Barry James, Director of Javelin Missile Production at Lockheed Martin
In addition to the award presentation, Sweatman also read a letter of gratitude to Hollahan from Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). Hollahan concluded the ceremony by addressing the crowd of SMT employees, friends, and members of the local media.
“By highlighting the real world applications for their products, SMT reminds us of the vital role many NTMA members play in every aspect of our society including national defense,” said NTMA President Dave Tilstone. “NTMA applauds Corporal Hollahan’s bravery and salutes SMT for their continued commitment to manufacturing high quality products for our armed forces. It is of paramount importance that our elected representatives in Washington support a comprehensive manufacturing policy to ensure that the products essential to our national defense can continue to be made in America.”
Want more information? Click below.