Washington, D.C. Airmen Join Eastern Air Defense Sector

  • Published
  • By NY Division of Military and Naval Affairs
  • NY National Guard/Eastern Air Defense Sector
The nation's largest Air National Guard is now a little larger.

In a ceremony here March 8, Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, administered the oath of enlistment into the 6,000-member New York Air National Guard to Airmen who formerly served as the 24th Expeditionary Air Defense Squadron under the control of 1st Air Force.

The 47 Citizen Airmen serve in National Capital Region Integrated Air Defense System, coordinating the air defense of Washington, D.C. with Army National Guardsman who man anti-aircraft missile defenses here.

They are now assigned to Detachments 1 and 2 of the Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS), headquartered in Rome, New York. EADS, composed of traditional and full-time New York Air National Guard Airmen and a Canadian Forces contingent, is responsible for coordinating the air defense of the United States east of the Mississippi under the control of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

"We couldn't be more proud of you," Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, told the Airmen after swearing them into the New York Air National Guard. "It is really not about being part of New York; it is about being a part of what you do."

"You do an exceptional job with what you do every day. You have no option. It has to be perfect," Murphy said. "And that's what the folks up in New York at Eastern Air Defense Sector do every day. They have no option."

It made sense to create a special unit to integrate with Army air defenders, and under the control of 1st Air Force, in the days after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, said Major General Garry C. Dean, Commander, Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command (CONR) and 1st Air Force (AFNORTH). Now it makes sense to reorganize the Airmen under the New York Air National Guard, he said.

"This is the right thing, to put this under the guidance of our National Guard, the defenders of the homeland," Dean told Airmen and Soldiers present for the ceremony.

The administrative change was made to normalize command and control arrangements for the capital's air defense. The Guard Airman will be under the control of the New York Air National Guard until called upon to support the federal air defense mission under NORAD. The Airmen will be transferred from federal, active-duty National Guard status to the New York Air National Guard as part of the move.

During the short oath taking ceremony, Murphy asked each officer and enlisted Airman participating to state their name one at a time so each could be recognized.

The leadership of EADS will look out for each and every one of their airman based in the Washington, D.C. area, Murphy emphasized. Joining the largest Air National Guard in the United States opens up new career opportunities to these newest members of the New York National Guard, Murphy said.

Master Sgt. David Moody, an Air Guardsman from Florida who lives near Alexandria, Va., said that he enjoyed the mission and looked forward to continuing it. "I am glad to be part of the mission and part of the New York family now," he said.

"The Eastern Air Defense Sector's mission has always included the National Capital Region and integrating the 24th Expeditionary Air Defense Squadron into EADS improves organizational and operational efficiency," said Col. John Bartholf, EADS Commander. "Combining the units also expands the administrative, training and personnel support available to our new Airmen, which will enhance operational skills while providing additional opportunities for education and professional development."

Detachment 1 will operate as part of the Joint Air Defense Operations Center at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C. Detachment 2 will serve as the Department of Defense liaison at the National Capital Region Coordination Center in Herndon, Va. The NCRCC is an information sharing and coordination center for the federal agencies responsible for monitoring the Washington, D.C. airspace.