PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. –
The North American Aerospace Defense Command celebrated its 59th Anniversary Friday with a ceremony in the Eberhart-Findley Building on Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo.
During the ceremony, the staff reflected on the first signing of the NORAD Agreement between Canada and the U.S. May 12, 1958. The initial agreement placed the air defense capabilities of both nations under one bi-national command. Fifty-nine years later it still stands as the sole binational command with an ever-evolving partnership.
“The NORAD Agreement is unparalleled in today’s world, and a testament to the shared values of more than 350 million citizens of the United States and Canada, who sleep soundly with the knowledge that, “We Have The Watch,” said U.S. Air Force General Lori J. Robinson, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command.
The general concluded by thanking her team for their dedication and support throughout the last 59 years. “I am humbled by the extraordinary dedication and accomplishments of our talented service members both past and present, from the United States and Canada, as well as our stellar civilians who provide essential continuity,” she said.
Following Robinson’s comments, the Command celebrated its anniversary with the cutting of a cake by senior and junior U.S. and Canadian command members, which included Robinson; Royal Canadian Air Force Lieutenant-General Pierre St-Amand, NORAD Deputy Commander; USAF Staff Sergeant Hillary Melton; and Canadian Army Corporal Alex Loiselle.
The very name of the building the ceremony occurred in is a testament to the unparalleled relationship between the two nations. The Eberhart-Findley Building was the first U.S. military combatant command headquarters building to include a Canadian military officer’s name. The headquarters building, originally called “Building 2” in 2003 was later renamed in October of 2012 in honor of USAF General (Ret.) Ralph E. Eberhart and RCAF Lieutenant-General (Ret.) Eric A. Findley.
For an in-depth look at NORAD’s history visit, www.norad.mil/About-NORAD/