The last US combat personnel serving in Iraq departed that nation on Dec. 18, 2011, ending the phased withdrawal of US forces after a war and subsequent stability operation that began there in March 2003. See our coverage of the event: Last Troops out of Iraq and Last US Military Flight Leaves Iraq. (See also: The Last Days in Iraq from Air Force Magazine’s March 2012 issue.)
Since President Donald Trump first unveiled his “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative in late January, much of the focus for it has been focused on space—how the Pentagon may deploy dozens, if not hundreds, of sensors and interceptors into orbit to protect the continental U.S. from missile barrages. But the Air…