The 11th ADA "IMPERIAL" Brigade is the largest and most deployed Air Defense Organization in the world.

Commander

COL John Kirchgessner

Col. John Kirchgessner assumed duty as the Commander of the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas, on June 12, 2025.   

He received his commission through Army ROTC as an Air Defense Artillery officer in 2002 from Elon University, North Carolina.

Col. Kirchgessner has served in a variety of command and staff positions throughout his career.  His previous assignments include:  Capability Developer,  the Air and Missile Defense Cross Functional Team, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Air Defense Branch Chief, Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky; Commander, 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Deputy Chief of Staff, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Battalion and Brigade XO in 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, 11th Air Defense Brigade, Fort Bliss, Texas; Military Transition Team Chief and Brigade Planner, 173rd Airborne BCT, Vicenza, Italy; Battalion S3, Mid Atlantic Recruiting Battalion, JBMDL, New Jersey; Commander, Army Experience Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Commander, Libertyville Recruiting Company, Chicago Recruiting Battalion; Commander, HHT, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Fort Bragg; and a Stinger/Avenger Platoon Leader, 3-4 ADAR, Fort Bragg.

He holds an undergraduate degree in Communications from Elon University, North Carolina, and graduate degree in International Studies from Webster University.  His professional military education includes the Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic Course, Air Defense Artillery Captains Career Course, Command and General Staff College, and the U.S. Army War College Fellowship at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies.   

Col. Kirchgessner’s military awards and decorations include Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Meritorious Service Medal (8 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (2 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, and Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC). 

Command Sergeant Major

CSM Francisco J. Lloret Jr.

Command Sgt. Maj. Francisco J. Lloret Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 1999 as a 14T Patriot Launcher Station Operator Maintainer. He attended basic training in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Bliss, Texas.

He has served in various leadership positions, including launcher section chief, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, battalion and brigade operations sergeant major, and battalion command sergeant major. Most recently, he served as the Battalion Command Sergeant Major for Strike Fear, the 2-44 Air Defense Artillery Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Command Sgt. Maj.  Lloret’s stateside assignments include Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Bragg (known as Fort Liberty since March 2022) and Norfolk State University, Virginia, as Army ROTC military science instructor. His overseas deployments and assignments include Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar; Iraq; Suwon, Korea, assigned to 1-43 ADA; Camp Carroll, South Korea, assigned to Delta Battery, 2-1 ADA; and Okinawa, Japan, assigned to Echo Battery, 1-1 ADA; also provided support during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Spartan Shield.

Command Sgt. Maj.  Lloret’s academic accomplishments include an associate degree in Applied Science in Electronic Systems Studies from Thomas Edison State University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Studies from Excelsior University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Leadership and Workforce Development from U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.

Command Sgt. Maj.  Lloret’s military education includes Primary Leadership Development Course (now Basic Leader Course), Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course (now Advanced Leader Course), Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course (now Senior Leader Course), the Noncommissioned Officer Battle Staff Course, First Sergeants Course at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Assessment Program, Battalion Level Pre-Command Course and he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Course Class 69.

His  awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (6OLC), the Army Achievement Medal (7 OLC), the Good Conduct Medal (8th Award), the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, Korean Defense Service Ribbon, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 5), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (5th Award), Army Superior Unit Award, and the Drivers Badge. He has also been inducted into the prestigious Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, is a recipient of the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara and received the German Proficiency Badge (Gold).