PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Personnel at the North American Aerospace Command and U.S. Northern Command wrapped up their participation in National Level Exercise 2-08 Thursday.
NLE 2-08 was a National Level Exercise in which the Department of Homeland Security had the overall lead for the exercise.
Much of the planning and coordination for the exercise was done by Joint Forces Command and USNORTHCOM.
The main focus of NLE 2-08 was to provide realistic training for US Army North and the CCMRF (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High Explosive Consequence Management Response Force). USNORTHCOM deployed approximately 1200 CCMRF personnel to Washington State in response to a simulated chemical attack on the Seattle waterfront followed by a similar simulated attack in Whatcom County, Wash.
During the exercise, USNORTHCOM worked closely with our partners in the State of Washington and the Washington National Guard to coordinate supportive response to civil authorities serving as primary responding agencies for exercise disaster relief and cleanup efforts.
NLE 2-08 also encompassed the FEMA 2008 National Hurricane Preparedness exercise, the Federal Continuity Operations exercise Eagle Horizon 08, and several DOD exercises, including US Transportation Command’s Ultimate Caduceus, Army Materiel Command's service response force exercise and the Commander, Air Combat Command sponsored exercise Blue Flag. Canada Command’s exercise Staunch Maple is linked to NLE 2 – 08. For planning and exercise control purposes, the exercise was divided into three major venues and domains: the Pacific Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and aerospace.
Activities for the aerospace portion of NLE 2-08 consisted of a number of independent scenarios and events occurring throughout the NORAD Area of Operation (AO). The NORAD AO is not geographically limited, as forces tasked to ensure the defense of the Canada & US region may be required to operate wherever capabilities and requirements dictate to carry out their mandate. The aerospace scenario included several events to exercise NORAD’s mission.
NORAD, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary May 12th, is the bi-national Canadian and American command responsible for the air defense of North America and maritime warning for Canada and the United States.
U.S. Northern Command was established on Oct. 1, 2002, to anticipate and conduct homeland defense and civil support operations within the assigned area of responsibility to defend, protect, and secure the United States and its interests.