News Archive - Search leadership

Col. Barrett Holmes (left) meets with Michael Byrne, Glen Sachtleben, and Capt. Chris Colbert, as the four prepared to board a UH-60 helicopter Aug. 28 to conduct an initial damage assessment of North Carolina. Holmes is the defense coordinating officer for U.S. Army North’s Region IV Defense Coordinating Element. Byrne is a federal coordinating officer, and Sachtleben, an operations officer, both with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Colbert is the pilot of the helicopter from the 3rd Infantry Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade that conducted the flight mission in support of FEMA, which is the overall lead for the federal response effort for Hurricane Irene.

Aug. 31, 2011

Army North springs into action during Hurricane Irene

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas - Army North’s headquarters sprang into action Aug. 25 as Hurricane Irene closed in on the eastern coast of the United States. The command’s operations center in the historic Quadrangle became a hub of activity as the Soldiers, along with their civilian partners, managed the mountain of information on the track of the storm.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Anthony Hayes, 145th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, North Carolina Air National Guard, prepares to refill a C-130H Hercules, equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System, with fire retardant as it taxis into the pits at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 19, 2011. MAFFS is capable of dispensing 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in under 5 seconds. Wildfires have spread across various parts of Texas and have burned more than 1,000 square miles of land. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Staff Sgt. Eric Harris)

April 18, 2011

C-130s drop retardant over Texas wildfires

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. –As the nation’s second most populous state and second largest in square miles, Texas continues to battle wildfires in all its 254 counties, many of the fires considered major. In a letter to the president on April 16, 2011, Texas Gov. Rick Perry requested federal assistance to help contain the fires, and Air

March 31, 2011

USNORTHCOM chief stresses disaster preparedness

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States must do more to prepare for natural disasters on the scale of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and more cooperation is necessary to combat transnational criminal organizations, the commander of U.S. Northern Command said here yesterday.In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Navy Adm.

Staff Sgt. Jose Grimes, search and rescue duty officer with the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., monitors the radar as he coordinates with another agency during a SAR mission. Sergeant Grimes played a critical role in locating a downed aircraft March 7 near the Canadian border in Maine and coordinating bi-national assets to rescue the aircrew member who survived.

March 8, 2011

US, Canada join forces to rescue aircraft crash survivor

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – Coordinating assets to search for missing and downed aircraft is just another day on the job for the Airmen of the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center at Tyndall Air Force Base. What isn’t so typical is when those assets have to be coordinated with Canadian forces for a cross-border search and rescue

Navy Adm. James "Sandy" Winnefeld, commander of U.S. Northern Command, speaks to senior Guard officers and enlisted leaders during the 2011 General Senior Leadership Conference at Arlington Hall in Arlington, Va., Feb. 28, 2011. Winnefeld talked with the adjutant generals about the contingency dual-status commander concept, which would create better cooperation between federal and state assets during a disaster.

March 7, 2011

Guard, NORTHCOM leadership concept will improve disaster responses

ARLINGTON, Va. - The National Guard’s relationship with U.S. Northern Command has always been of the utmost importance Navy Adm. James “Sandy” Winnefeld, Jr., combatant commander, said here last week.“One of the biggest goals I had coming into this job was to dramatically improve the relationship,” he told senior Guard officer and enlisted leaders

U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeants Clifford Fallico (second from left), Air Forces Northern intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance planner, and Robert Carnall, 702nd Computer Support Squadron System Administrator (third from left), stand before Chief Master Sgt. Angela Abshire (right), director of standards at the Noncommissioned Member Professional Development Center, at the graduation ceremony where they both earned the “Comradeship Award” from the Canadian Intermediate Leadership Program, Canadian Forces College, Noncommissioned Member Professional Development Center, St. Jean Sur Richlieu in Quebec, Canada. Only four of 120 students received the peer-voted award.

Feb. 11, 2011

Historic firsts for AFNORTH sergeants lead to distinguished honors

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - It had all the markings of a historic event – with firsts on several fronts.As well it should; it was a historic event.At a ceremony held Jan. 28, two Air Forces Northern technical sergeants were the first-ever U.S. Airmen to graduate from the Canadian Intermediate Leadership Program at the Canadian Forces College,

Feb. 8, 2011

Chairman’s Corner: National Military Strategy

Today, I released the 2011 National Military Strategy which provides a vision for how our Joint Force will provide the military capability to protect the American People, defend our Nation and allies, and contribute to our broader peace, security and prosperity.While we continue to refine how we counter violent extremism and deter aggression, this

Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region commanding general, provides details of his command's mission and capabilities within the national capital region to National Guard leaders as part of the Contingency Dual Status Commanders' Conference Feb.

Feb. 7, 2011

Guard leaders discuss Contingency Dual Status Commanders concept at JFHQ-NCR

WASHINGTON, D.C - National Guard commanders from 13 states visited Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region as part of their Contingency Dual Status Commanders' (CDSC) Conference Feb. 1. Dual status commanders can direct both federal active-duty forces and state National Guard forces in response to domestic incidents. Maj. Gen. Karl R.

Dec. 9, 2010

‘Mission One’ at Northcom: Defending the homeland

WASHINGTON (10/26/10) -- Developing regional response capabilities, stepping up preparations for a no-notice catastrophe and maturing partnerships are among priorities at U.S. Northern Command, the new deputy commander said here Tuesday.“We’re working very closely with the National Guard and [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] and the Joint

Nov. 1, 2010

NORAD, USNORTHCOM commander outlines focus areas at homeland security symposium

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command spoke at the National Symposium on Homeland Security and Defense at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colo., Oct. 29.Navy Adm. James Winnefeld, NORAD and USNORTHCOM commander, outlined the commands’ eight primary focus areas and

U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Nicole A. Avant donated $10,000 in books to the Ministry of Education Oct. 5 to support the United States Embassy-initiated “Read To Lead” program. Funding for the book donation was provided by the U.S. Northern Command as part of its long-standing partnership with the island nation. On hand for the official book handover was Deputy Assistant Secretary, Western Hemisphere Affairs, Julissa Reynoso; Delores Ingraham, President, New Providence Association of Public High Schools; Alexis Thompson, student, Sadie Curtis Primary School; U.S. Ambassador Nicole A. Avant, Reagan Cartwright, student, Sadie Curtis Primary School; Navy Lt. Cmdr. Janice Smith, Chief of the U.S. Office of Defense Coordination and Permanent Secretary and Ministry of Education Elma Garraway.

Oct. 18, 2010

USNORTHCOM donates $10,000 to Bahamas Read to Lead program

NASSAU, The Bahamas – U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas Nicole A. Avant donated $10,000 in books to the Ministry of Education Oct. 5 to support the United States Embassy-initiated "Read To Lead" program.Funding for the book donation was provided by the U.S. Northern Command as part of its long-standing partnership with the island nation. "Read To

Oct. 4, 2010

NORAD deputy visits CONR, Canadians

TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The last time he was here, he was the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region deputy commander, construction of the Killey Center for Homeland Operations was still on the drawing board, and Hurricane Katrina relief operations were in full swing.How time and circumstances change in a few

Aug. 12, 2010

NORAD, USNORTHCOM pushes to expand enlisted education to Canada

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - When Air Force Master Sgt. Jerry Simer, U.S. Northern Command J38 Special Activities Branch, found out he was advancing to senior master sergeant, he knew heâ€™d be enrolled in professional military education, he just didn't know it would be in Canada.Thanks to a push from his command senior enlisted leader, the Air

July 15, 2010

Military exchange program benefits U.S., Canadian, Mexican military forces

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –A program established in 1945 has provided U.S. military personnel an opportunity to exchange places with Canadian and Mexican military officers in an effort to strengthen alliance and build coalition partnerships with the surrounding nations of the North American Continent. U.S. Army North currently has 18 Soldiers serving

May 13, 2010

NORAD and USNORTHCOM leadership changes hands

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. –North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command will welcome Vice Adm. James A. Winnefeld, Jr. as its new commander during a change of command ceremony at 9:45 a.m., May 19, in Hangar 1 on Peterson AFB, Colo. Vice Adm. Winnefeld takes over from Gen. Victor “Gene” Renuart, Jr., who is retiring after

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