Trying to Find the Sweet Spot

Calling it both incredibly rewarding and occasionally frustrating, Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, told the audience at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., that a great deal of progress has been made in knocking down cultural and interagency walls to accomplish the command’s homeland defense efforts. Renuart compared his work at NORAD/NORTHCOM to the coalition building undertaken during the lead up to the Iraq War—only in his case, his 120 “nations” comprise states and partner government agencies. He said NORTHCOM’s efforts went relatively smoothly during the lead up to Hurricane Gustav in Louisiana last year, having “learned a lot of lessons” since Hurricane Katrina.