NORAD boss stops by

Air Force General Victor E. Renuart, Jr. shares a moment with Honorary Colonel John Cutsey.

On his way from Inuvik to Ottawa the big NORAD boss popped in to 22 Wing / Canadian Forces Base North Bay Tuesday to check out the Sergeant David L. Pitcher Building and celebrate 51st Anniversary of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Air Force General Victor E. Renuart, Jr., commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, says it was great to finally get up to North Bay and see the operation. He also says that in this day and age it was exciting to see real promise in the young service men and women who are serving under him.

“It is always great to see both US and Canadian officers and non commissioned officers working together,” he notes.

Renaurt emphasized that NORAD's key role is to ensure air sovereignty and defense of the airspace over Canada and the US and that that role has evolved over the years especially since 911.

He says that role will be demonstrated as Canada hosts the 2010 G8 Summit in Huntsville and the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Backgrounder

General Victor E. Renuart, Jr. is the Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.

General Renuart entered the U.S. Air Force in 1971 and was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force through the Officer Training School in 1972. Among his early assignments, he commanded the 76th Tactical Fighter Squadron, headquartered at England Air Force Base, Lousiana, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Director of Assignments, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Commander, Headquarters Support Group, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, NATO, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

In 1994, General Renuart served as Director of Plans for the NATO Combined Air Operations Center, 5th Allied Tactical Air Force, Vicenza, Italy in support of Operation Deny Flight.

He assumed command of the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in 1996, and in 1998 he was named Commander, 347th Fighter Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. In 2000, General Renuart took command of Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia and the 9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Southwest Asia, the organizations responsible for the command and control of Operation Southern Watch. His next assignment was as Director of Operations(J-3) for U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. In that role, he oversaw the planning and execution of all joint and allied combat operations for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
In 2003 the General became Vice Commander of Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, responsible for Air Force and Air Component Command activities for the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command. Following this assignment, General Renuart was appointed Director of Strategic Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff. In 2006 he was selected as the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
General Renuart assumed command of North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command on March 23, 2007.

General Renuart’s awards and decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster. General Renuart is a command pilot and has more than 3,900 flight hours, including 60 combat missions.