Dooley and Lamarche Graduate from Senior NCO Academy Published March 21, 2011 By Tim Jones EADS Rome, N.Y. -- Two New York Air National Guardsmen from the Eastern Air Defense Sector graduated last week from the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officers Academy at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. Senior Master Sgt. Maureen Dooley, Rome, and Master Sgt. Jeffrey Lamarche, Deansboro, finished the advanced leadership and management course on March 11. Dooley earned Distinguished Graduate honors, which recognized the top 10 percent of the class of 430 students. She was one of three Air National Guardsmen to earn that honor. "Senior NCOs are the backbone of the Air Force and the Academy provides training and education that helps these already-influential leaders become even more effective," said Col. John P. Bartholf, EADS Commander. "I congratulate Senior Master Sgt. Dooley and Master Sgt. Lamarche on behalf of the entire unit. Only a small percentage of eligible Senior NCOs can attend the Academy and being selected and graduating is a noteworthy career achievement." The Eastern Air Defense Sector is headquartered at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen and a Canadian Forces detachment, the unit supports the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) homeland defense mission. EADS is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the eastern United States and directs a variety of assets to defend one million square miles of land and sea. ###