EADS Surges for Annual Vigilant Shield Exercise

  • Published
  • By Tim Jones
  • Eastern Air Defense Sector
Rome, N.Y. --  The Eastern Air Defense Sector participated in a continent-wide training exercise last week with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the U.S. Northern Command, and federal, state and local agencies from across the United States and Canada.

Vigilant Shield '11 evaluated tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure the interoperability of Department of Defense assets in support of the president's National Preparedness Strategy. An annual exercise sponsored by NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Vigilant Shield is part of an integrated DOD exercise program that supports the national strategy of aerospace warning and control, Defense Support of Civil Authorities and homeland defense.

One of the most challenging aspects for EADS was meeting the exercise training requirements while continuing its air sovereignty and counter-air operations missions.

"To meet the requirements demanded by our mission and the exercise, EADS operations staff task-organized for surge operations and expanded our normal eight-hour shifts into 12-hour shifts," explained Col. John Bartholf, EADS commander. "The surge staffing worked as intended. EADS was able to fully participate in a challenging training exercise, while continuing the 24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week mission of protecting the North American airspace."

The successful surge operations, which included the activation and around-the-clock operation of the commander's battle staff, is an indication of the unit's high state of readiness and professionalism, the commander added. Nearly the entire EADS staff, including support and administrative functions, participated in the seven-day exercise.

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.