It’s been eight years since that fateful day on Sept. 11, 2001 when nearly 3,000 people died on American soil. I invite the citizens of Canada and the United States to join with the men and women of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command to remember the innocent people, heroic firefighters, and medical and law enforcement responders who died on that horrific day.

This is also an appropriate time to thank the people who have ensured Canada and the United States have not experienced a catastrophic foreign terrorist attack in the homelands during the past eight years. For this success, we must thank the American, Canadian, and other coalition forces who have successfully battled on foreign soil to prevent further attacks from reaching our homes.

We must thank the dedicated intelligence, law enforcement, homeland security, and national, state and local emergency response folks who protect our families here at home every day. And we must thank our good neighbors in Canada and Mexico for their sovereign cooperation in working together to stop terrorism in all our countries. There are few things more important to homeland defense than good neighbors helping each other.

This Sept. 11 also marks USNORTHCOM’s sixth anniversary of full operational capability. USNORTHCOM was established in response to the 9/11 attacks and closely integrated with NORAD. Together these joint and combined commands work with more than 60 interagency partners and connect to 150 command centers across the U.S. and Canada. NORAD and USNORTHCOM anticipate and are prepared to respond to any threats or disasters in or over our nations.

We have demonstrated our will and ability to deter and defeat those who would seek to harm us at home. 

Further, USNORTHCOM is ready now to support civil authorities in time of need and when directed, whether in the aftermath of a manmade threat, a natural disaster or a pandemic. In just the past year, we’ve responded to fires in California, floods in North Dakota, and hurricanes from the Gulf of Mexico. We’ve zealously watched North Korea’s missile program, grown our missile defense capability, and honed our skills through nationwide exercises such as Ardent Sentry and Vigilant Shield.  

Now, as we monitor the pulse of our nations, and as we remember those who gave their lives in New York, at the Pentagon and in a hallowed field in Pennsylvania, I personally want to thank the men and women of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, whom I have the honor to lead. They are a key part of why the United States and Canada are safe today. They are making a difference and standing to the front in defending 307 million Americans and 34 million Canadians where they live, work and play; where they raise their children and where they build for the future.

As time passes, years will become decades since the 9/11 attacks, but a few facts will remain constant. Our enemies should make no mistake about our resolve. We shall never fail to defend our homes and our families. We shall remain alert and prepared, never letting down our guard. And we shall never forget.  

Gene

Even with the world’s best doctors, nurses and medical facilities, each year thousands of Americans die from the flu, which means defeating the flu threat is more than just  an organizational responsibility. We all have the responsibility to take measures to protect ourselves, our families and others from infection.

While NORAD must be ready to respond to air threats, and provide for missile and maritime warning, USNORTHCOM’s Job #1 is homeland defense.  The health of our forces is critical to do both commands’ missions.  Under the National Response Framework, USNORTHCOM could be called upon to assist a primary federal agency such as the Department of Health and Human Services in response to a crisis like pandemic influenza.  Now, more than ever, the health and welfare of our service members, civilians, contractors and the families who support them is incredibly important as we prepare to respond if called upon to assist.

At home we must each do our part. Thanks to the 21st Medical Group, we brought the flu vaccine right to the office for all the NORAD and USNORTHCOM active duty and TRICARE members. We’ve placed hand sanitizer dispensers in major traffic areas, and we continue to encourage the staff to frequently wash or sanitize their hands.  In addition, should H1N1 surge as is anticipated, we are prepared to implement a social distancing program within the headquarters to slow the spread of the virus.

At home and day-to-day, our families can take similar actions to protect against infection. The first defense is the seasonal flu vaccine; ensuring everyone in your family is vaccinated. Encourage family members to frequently wash their hands with soap and water and use hand sanitizers between washes. Remember the old motherly wisdom: cough or sneeze into your sleeve; ; maintain a safe distance from sick people (the CDC recommends six feet); and get plenty of rest and exercise -- a fit body is a healthy body. But most importantly, if you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with other people.

At the very least, flu season is an annoyance but together we can act to keep it from becoming deadly.  We shall maintain the ability of NORAD and USNORTHCOM to respond  as a military force dedicated to defending our skies, defending our homelands and providing support to civil authorities if necessary.

Cheers,

Gene