Military Officer - December 2008 - (Page 10) fromtheeditor Homeland Defense While troops protect us abroad in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, Americans often forget about the service and sacrifice of those keeping us safe here at home. L et me begin by wishing you and yours — on behalf of all of us at MOAA headquarters — a fantastic holiday season. I can tell you we’re certainly looking forward to a time to relax with friends and family, to give thanks for our blessings, and to begin planning for next year. And, we hope each of us will find ways to reduce the stress of these challenging times. As we go to press, the best I can say is that it’s a time of uncertainty. The economy is struggling. Financial markets are dropping steadily. (I hope by the time you read this the market will be up!) But even as we ponder this economic turmoil, there is at least one thing we can be certain of: the performance of the men and women of the U.S. uniformed services. In past issues we’ve highlighted outstanding troops and units who are fighting the war on terror. The focus has been on Iraq and Afghanistan. But what about the military forces who are protecting us on our home turf? As we enjoy our holiday celebrations, who will be in the overwatch position, looking out for threats as diverse as missile attacks, nuclear-chemical incidents, floods, and fires? The answer to that question would be U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). From their combined headquarters at Peterson AFB, Colo., these commands exercise responsibility for military defense of the homeland and support for civil authorities during 10 MILITARY OFFICER DECEMBER 2008 homeland disasters. To learn more about these organizations, we spoke to their commander, Air Force Gen. Victor “Gene” Renuart Jr. NORTHCOM was created after the attack of Sept. 11, 2001. It now comprises a number of capabilities and forces to meet today’s threats. “The new forces recognize that, for a number of years, we’ve lived in a dangerous time,” says Renuart. “Adversaries now are very different than those we grew up with. It’s no longer a Cold War with the Soviet bloc, but we do have countries with significant conventional capability. More importantly, we see rogue nations like, potentially, North Korea and Iran, whose intentions are not clear or predictable. We see terrorists or narco-terrorists that don’t pay attention to traditional rules of war and want to gain weapons of mass effect.” Check out our story “A Watchful Eye,” page 48, to learn more about NORTHCOM and NORAD. And as we enjoy the holidays, let’s remember the many men and women who will be on duty protecting our homeland. — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT
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