USNORTHCOM

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command will exercise their response abilities to a variety of events during an intensive eight-day national level exercise in May. National Level Exercise 2-08 will run May 1-8 and will exercise national capabilities to prepare and respond to multiple incidents including both natural disasters and terrorist incidents.

C-130H aircraft: Photo by Tech. Sgt. Joe Zuccaro

The exercise will include hurricane preparedness and response and Defense Support to Civil Authorities coordination in response to a weapon of mass destruction terrorist attack.    » read more »

April 10, 2008 -- PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Northern Command plan to refine their existing intelligence relationship, said the top DHS intelligence official during a recent visit to USNORTHCOM headquarters.

Soldiers check an AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopter at Fort Bliss, Texas: Before conducting an aerial reconnaissance flight over the southwest border. Photo by Edd Natividad    » read more »

January 24, 2008 -- COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command Joint Color Guard will represent the commands and the nation Feb. 3 by presenting the nation’s flag (ensign) during opening ceremonies prior to the start of Super Bowl XLII.

The Joint Color Guard team includes men and women from all branches of the U.S. military as well as representatives of Canadian Armed Forces.    » read more »

December 11, 2007 -- In anticipation of requests for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist residents of the Midwest suffering from heavy ice storms and extreme winter weather, the Commander of U.S. Northern Command has ordered the deployment of U. S. Army North Defense Coordinating Officers and a Defense Coordinating Element for FEMA Regions V, VI and VII.    » read more »

November 7, 2007 -- COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – In a presentation Tuesday in Colorado Springs, Colo., California's state fire marshal described the response to the recent Southern California wildfires as unequalled in her experience and credited U.S. Northern Command with being the "enabler" of the firefighting operation.

Chief Kate Dargan, who has been with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection more than 30 years, spoke to military and government participants of the Defense Support of Civil Authorities Executive Seminar.    » read more »

October 25, 2007 -- CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Calif. – At the request of the local incident commander Wednesday afternoon, five Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with the Modular Airborne Firefighting System flew their first missions in support of the California wildfires.    » read more »

October 23, 2007, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As fires continue to rage throughout communities in Southern California, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is swiftly mobilizing federal resources and assets in coordination with the state of California and other federal agencies. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff and FEMA Administrator David Paulison traveled to the affected area today to meet with state officials and asses the federal response to the wildfires.    » read more »

October 16, 2007 -- FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — Servicemembers and civilians from U.S. Army North began participating yesterday in Vigilant Shield 2008, a week-long, national-level exercise involving federal, state and local agencies across the United States and Guam.

Army North Deputy Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Francis Mahon, said the exercise is "a great opportunity for all of us to work together, now, prior to a crisis.”    » read more »

Aug. 20, 2007 -- PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – U.S. Northern Command continues to monitor the progress of Hurricane Dean and is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Guard and the state of Texas on hurricane response preparations.    » read more »

May 15, 2007 -- SEWARD, Alaska -- The first week of the Alaska Shield/Northern Edge 07 exercise culminated here May 11 with a massive interagency effort to secure a ship with a simulated biological threat on board.

Hundreds of first responders, with uniforms ranging from the reflective jackets of local firefighters to military biohazard suits, were on hand at the Alaska Railroad dock to practice an integrated response to a simulated terrorist threat on a marine vessel.    » read more »

May 14, 2007 -- PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — The commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command is "very pleased" with the federal agency interoperability displayed in Ardent Sentry - Northern Edge '07, an emergency response training exercise that began April 30 and will continue through May 17.    » read more »