PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, conducted a media roundtable where he recapped his assignment here before his change of command March 23.
“In the two and a half years that I have enjoyed being here, much has happened,” Keating said. “Throughout all of it, our overarching theme has been defending our homeland.”
Keating is the second commander of USNORTHCOM, which was formed with the mission of providing homeland defense and defeating potential terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
“I think NORTHCOM represents a significant improvement in our nation’s ability to defend itself,” Keating said. “We are better prepared today by far to defend our homeland because of the existence of Northern Command.”
During Keating’s tenure as commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, many improvements and upgrades to the way both commands perform their missions were enacted, including the realignment to the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, the traditional command center of NORAD.
“It is beneficial to improved combat efficiency and effectiveness,” Keating said. “It will provide increased combat effectiveness for NORAD and USNORTHCOM.”
Keating sang the praises of the personnel assigned to NORAD and USNORTHCOM, stating that the United States and Canada have provided both commands with the “quality personnel and first-rate equipment” required to fulfill their respective missions.
“I am confident that we have the systems in place that will continue to deter those who would seek to attack us,” Keating said. “I think the fact that there hasn’t been an attack for five and a half years now is not accidental.”
The Senate confirmed March 26 the renomination of Keating to the rank of admiral and his reassignment as commander of U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
NORAD is a bi-national command, including both U.S. and Canadian forces, and is charged with aerospace and maritime warning for North America.
USNORTHCOM is responsible for homeland defense and defense support of civil authorities.
Air Force Gen. Victor E. Renuart will accept command from Keating in a ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base at 10:00 a.m. March 23. Keating is scheduled to assume command of USPACOM March 26 in Hawaii.