PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - One of the nation's top
homeland defense military officers will return for a third
tour of duty as the Adjutant General of Oregon.
Maj. Gen. Raymond "Fred" Rees, who has served as the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command Chief of Staff since May 2003, will return to the post he has held twice before -- from May 1987 to June 1991 and from August 1994 to March 1999.
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski made the announcement Feb. 24.
"I am grateful for the trust and confidence of Governor Kulongoski in selecting me to, once again, serve as the Adjutant General Photo By:
for the State of Oregon," Rees said. "(My wife) Mary Len and I look forward to coming home upon completion of our duties here in Colorado.
"We promise to dedicate ourselves to the service of the citizen-soldiers and airmen of the Oregon National Guard and their families," he continued. "We will miss the men and women of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command, who have dedicated themselves to the uniquely important mission of protecting our homelands."
A 1965 West Point graduate, Rees previously served as director of the Army National Guard, as well as vice chief and acting chief of the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.
Rees will lead the Oregon National Guard - a combined force of about 9,300 National Guard soldiers and airmen - at a time when troop deployments from Oregon have been the highest since World War II. Since Sept. 11, 2001, nearly 8,000 soldiers and airmen have left Oregon to serve on missions around the world.
"Oregon's National Guard continues to play a critical role in our nation's fight against terrorism - both globally and here at home," Governor Kulongoski said in a Feb. 24 statement. "Major General Rees brings the depth of experience and leadership - as a soldier and as a commander - that we need during this time of increased dependence on Oregon's soldiers.
"I am honored that the general has accepted this new assignment and am confident that, under his direction, the Oregon National Guard will solidify its reputation as one of the most highly qualified and skilled corps of citizen-soldiers in our country."
Until he assumes the adjutant general post, Rees will continue serving in Colorado Springs as one of the senior leaders of both NORAD and USNORTHCOM, the nation's lead military organizations charged with homeland defense.
NORAD is a bi-national, United States and Canadian command that was formally established in 1958 to monitor and defend the North American airspace. USNORTHCOM was created in October 2002 with a two-fold mission: conduct operations to deter, prevent and defeat threats and aggression aimed at the United States, its territories and interests and provide military assistance to civil authorities, including consequence management operations, as directed by the President or Secretary of Defense.