NORAD Commander and Command Senior Enlisted Leader visit the Western Air Defense Sector

Gen. Glen VanHerck, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Sgt. Maj. James Porterfield, Command Senior Enlisted Leader, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, formally recognized superior performers in the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, May 3, 2022. Tech Sgt. Sharmaine Pope, 225th Air Defense Squadron assistant superintendent of current operations was coined for her efforts for the successfully leading the tasking and execution of 49 internal crew exercises, 24 continuation training exercises, 147 practice scrambles, 17 high headquarters exercises, 44 tactical training events, 25 Joint Air Defense Operations Center distributed mission operations events, and 18 real world mission events. WADS is one of two sectors responsible to the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command Region and NORAD for peacetime air sovereignty, strategic air defense, and airborne counterdrug operations in the continental United States and plays a vital part in homeland defense. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Kimberly D. Burke)