TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., - The 601st Air and Space Operations
Center held a ceremony here Aug. 21 to commemorate the activation of the
101st Air and Space Operations Group.
The 101st AOG, which is a Florida Air National Guard unit, provides the
manning for the 601st AOC to fulfill their mission of defending the
homeland. The 101st AOG, formerly known as the Southeast Air Defense Sector,
officially stood up July 1, 2009.
"The 601st AOC and the 101st AOG have a no-fail mission," said Col. Scott
Barberides, 101st AOG commander. "Around the clock, 24-7, we never turn the
lights off, and people are working right now defending our skies."
The 601st AOC, often referred to as America's AOC, is responsible for
detecting, deterring, defending and if necessary, defeating any aviation
threat to the citizens of the United States and to U.S. critical
infrastructure.
"The 601st is made up roughly of 550 people, with 350 of those folks being
101st AOG members," said Col. Randy Spear, 601st AOC commander. "If the
601st were a car, the 101st would be the engine and the drive train that
makes the 601st AOC mission happen."
Saturday's ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen. Joseph Balskus,
Florida's Assistant Adjutant General and Florida Air National Guard
commander. The ceremony was complete with the changing of the flags
representing the unit's transition from the Southeast Air Defense Sector to
the 101st AOG.
After the ceremony friends and family were invited to take a tour of the
center's operations floor, which monitors all the air traffic in the
continental United States.
"It started after Sept.11, 2001," said Colonel Spear. "We, as the
Department of Defense, had to reconfigure ourselves, and a part of that
reconfiguration was to transform the Southeast Air Defense Sector into the
101st AOG."
The Southeast Air Defense Sector was originally established as the
Montgomery Air Defense Sector in September 1957.
Effective Oct. 16, 1995, SEADS transitioned from the U.S. Air Force to the
Air National Guard, and became a Geographically Separated Unit assigned
within the Florida Air National Guard.
The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 marked a change in the way SEADS, North
American Aerospace Defense Command, and United States Northern Command
monitored air traffic in the continental United States. Prior to 9/11, NORAD
had only monitored air traffic entering CONUS airspace. After 9/11, NORAD,
along with the Federal Aviation Administration, started to monitor all the
air traffic in CONUS airspace.
Operation Noble Eagle, the military's response to the terrorist attacks of
9/11, became the focus of SEADS, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, ensuring the safety
of America.
SEADS' mission was relocated to the Eastern Air Defense Sector in November
of 2006 and it took on a new role. Now known as the 601st Air and Space
Operations Center, the AOC monitors all the air traffic in the continental
U.S. region.
On June 1, 2007, the 601st AOC opened the doors on its brand new,
state-of-the-art, 37,000 square-foot, $30.5 million air and space operations
center. This new facility enhances the 601st AOC's ability to protect
America's skies from attack, as well as provide lifesaving relief during
natural and man-made disasters.
"We have a proud heritage with the state of Florida, and a noble past with
the Southeast Air Defense Sector," said Colonel Barberides. "That truly is
the heart and soul of the 101st AOG."
For more information on America's AOC, visit www.1af.acc.af.mil,
www.facebook.com/americasaoc, www.twitter.com/1staf or
www.youtube.com/americasaoc.