PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the U. S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) recognized their annual communications awards winners during a ceremony May 12. These awards recognize individuals who have provided sustained superior performance in communications and information support to the Air Force and (or) Department of Defense missions and operations.
Maj. Gen. Dale W. Meyerrose, Director, Command Control Systems, for NORAD, and Director of Architectures and Integration, for USNORTHCOM, officiated.
NORAD NCO
Information Management
Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin F. O'Grady is the information manager for the Directorate of Command and Control Systems, Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center. As CMOC's computer security manager, O'Grady ensures compliance of all information assurance vulnerabilities released by Joint Task Force- Computer Network Operations. He revamped from scratch the communications directorate quality assurance (QA) program. O'Grady received special recognition in the November 2002 communications inspection report. The report said, "O'Grady consistently runs the best quality assurance program in CMOC."
NORAD Senior NCO
Information Management
Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Kathy L. Shaffer is the superintendent of information management and personnel for the Directorate of Operations, HQ NORAD. As the executive administrator on the North American Aerospace Defense, Commander-in-Chief's Crisis Action Team, Shaffer determined the amount of administrative personnel required to support the real-world mission Operation NOBLE EAGLE. The U. S. initiated this operation after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She personally ensured her staff were trained and properly scheduled to meet all the requirements to sustain a 24-hour a-day, 7-days a-week mission. New policies and procedures were put in place to ensure the smooth flow of all communications. Shaffer swiftly instituted a new software program for transmitting messages throughout the Department of Defense, providing uninterrupted support to the personnel working on the Battle Staff in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE.
NORAD Company Grade Officer
Communications and Information
Air Force Capt. David Farmer is chief, missile warning systems, in the Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center Communications Directorate. Assigned to CMOC since May 2001, he is the first U.S. captain to earn upgrade certification to Missile Warning Center commander, a position normally held by an O-4. He is the only U.S. officer in the MWC not in a space or missile career field. During his shifts as MWC commander or deputy commander Captain Farmer delivered timely, accurate and unambiguous briefings to the CMOC command director on six missile events and eight space re-entry objects.
USNORTHCOM Senior NCO
Communications-Electronic Systems
Air Force Master Sgt. Richard N. Blake is the telecommunications superintendent at Joint Task Force Six in Norfolk, Va. Blake organized the replacement of two outdated video teleconferencing systems with state-of-the-art equipment. He also engineered and custom-built a unique patch panel that simplified the video teleconferencing switchover for various types of conferences. The patch panel makes it easy to switch between classified and unclassified conferences. Blake saved the command $90,000 in upgrade costs by replacing the systems rather than upgrading them.
Airman
Communications-Computer Systems
Air Force Airman 1st Class Rodney P. Bati is a computer systems support technician for the USNORTHCOM Directorate of Intelligence. Bati was hand picked ahead of 15 peers to provide level two technical support to the Combined Intelligence Fusion Center due to his superior customer service skill, initiative and technical abilities. Bati?s skills ensured critical data remained available to customers during Operations NOBLE EAGLE and ENDURING FREEDOM despite a 300% increase in network utilization.
USNORTHCOM NCO
Communications-Computer Systems
Air Force Tech. Sgt. Daniel L. Koral is the non-commissioned officer in charge of mission systems and provides computer communications support for the Directorate of Joint Intelligence Communications and Operations for NORAD and USNORTHCOM. Koral supervises eight military and civilian system administrators and programmers in support of specific intelligence gathering and disseminating systems. "We were/are in a transitional phase, from USSPACECOM to USNORTHCOM missions, having to acquire new systems and capabilities and moving some existing systems to U.S. Strategic Command in Offutt, Neb.," Koral said. "I was the lead for much of this as well as several other critical renovation projects in the section.?
USNORTHCOM Senior NCO
Communications-Computer Systems
Air Force Master Sgt. Dennis Knoop is the chief of communications support for the Commander NORAD/USNORTHCOM. Knoop took the lead to provide flawless communication support for the commander and his staff. He managed innovative communications concepts at more than 20 different locations, expediting vital information to the commander.
USNORTHCOM Senior NCO
Visual Information
Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Debra Helle is the NORAD/USNORTHCOM command visual information manager. Her unwavering focus on mission requirements was the driving force behind 160 successful VTCs, conferences and briefings for both the Commander and Deputy Commander of NORAD immediately following the 9/11 attacks. She managed all visual information support throughout the transition of USSPACECOM and the activation of USNORTHCOM.
USNORTHCOM NCO
Visual Information
Air Force Master Sergeant Patrick B. Morrow is the non-commissioned officer in charge of the NORAD/USNORTHCOM, Chief of Staff command presentations section. He provides presentation and video teleconferencing (VTC) support to the both NORAD and USNORTHCOM. He designed the "Deputy Commander's Coin for Excellence, capturing each military service and the direction of the new command.
USNORTHCOM Field Grade Officer
Communications and Information
Air Force Maj. Todd L. Glanzer is a command architectures staff officer for the Directorate of Architectures and Integration, Headquarters USNORTHCOM. Glanzer served as lead staff officer for developing new automated information sharing concepts to support the command's homeland defense mission and improve integration efforts with other federal and civilian agencies chartered to protect our homeland. During 2002, Glanzer also was the primary communications staff officer working on critical command and control system upgrades to support the air control and missile warning missions for NORAD and USSPACECOM.