Ken Leoutsacus, I tried sending you an e-mail but you have a block. Would you contact me at joro3316@aol.com

I worked in the NORAD ADOC (Air Defense Operations Center) from 1984-1990. We had a real mission watching the Soviet aircraft playing games off Alaska and going to and from Cuba. Also, we had our usual periodic unknown aircraft. I wonder if North Korea launches a nuclear armed ICBM towards Colorado Springs, can the on duty crew get to the mountain within 30 minutes before it hits? I`d much rather work 1,400 ft inside a mountain than at ground level at Peterson AFB.

In response to Rocky Dimare`s question, ``Since when did the NORAD Commander become a Navy guy?`` -- The answer is found at www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11062004_2004110604.html -- ``Keating Becomes NORAD, NORTHCOM Commander`` By Merrie Schilter-Lowe, Special to American Forces Press Service -- PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo., Nov. 6, 2004 -- Before a full house, Navy Adm. Timothy J. Keating assumed command of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command from Air Force Gen. Ed Eberhart in ceremonies here Nov. 5 [2004]. The former director of the Joint Staff is the first non-Air Force officer to command NORAD since its creation in 1958. Eberhart had been commander of NORTHCOM since its creation following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He will retire during a separate ceremony later this year, after an active-duty military career spanning 36 years. ... (Go to the source for the full news release)

More information regarding NORAD and USNORTHCOM -- Source: www.northcom.mil/newsroom/news_release/2006/072806.htm/ -- ``NORAD AND USNORTHCOM change underway`` -- July 28, 2006 -- PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. –- The Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center becomes the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate as part of an ongoing effort to improve the operational effectiveness of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, according to NORAD and USNORTHCOM officials. The change will better integrate NORAD and USNORTHCOM functions, tasks, missions and operations to protect American and Canadian citizens. ``I directed the formation of a team to take a hard look at the operational practices of NORAD and USNORTHCOM. I asked them to consider methods of improving our effectiveness and enhancing unity of effort,`` said Adm. Timothy J. Keating, commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM. The study was conducted independently of the Quadrennial Defense Review, Base Realignment and Closure process, and the recent NORAD Agreement renewal. In the next few years, some NORAD and USNORTHCOM military and civilian positions at Cheyenne Mountain will be relocated to NORAD and USNORTHCOM headquarters in Bldg. 2 on Peterson Air Force Base. The NORAD and USNORTHCOM facilities at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station will be maintained, ready for use on short notice. At this time, there is no intention to eliminate any jobs. The main impact on NORAD and USNORTHCOM civilian and military personnel currently working at Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center is that some will have a change of duty location to Peterson Air Force Base in the next few years. ``The change will enable the two commands to work more effectively together to fulfill their homeland defense missions, while acknowledging their distinctiveness,`` said Lt.Gen. Eric A. ``Rick`` Findley, NORAD deputy commander, who noted that the plan fully respects the terms of the NORAD Agreement. ``Enhanced information sharing and resource sharing will result in greater cooperation and synchronization of effort.`` The change will minimally affect the local community. The Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center is not NORAD; it is an operations center. NORAD headquarters is located at Peterson Air Force Base and NORAD has regional headquarters in the continental United States, Canada and Alaska. Not all assets and personnel in Cheyenne Mountain belong to NORAD or USNORTHCOM. NORAD and USNORTHCOM personnel fill approximately twenty-five percent of the positions located at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. The implementation plan is expected to last approximately 18 months. The plan will include a study of mission requirements, relocation of personnel and training to ensure no loss of readiness.

Good link for the EC-135 `Looking Glass` www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/c3i/ec-135.htm

News Item (multiple sources): ``Cheyenne Mountain to be emptied of missile crews`` -- (Colorado Springs, Colo.-AP) July 28, 2006 - A published report says the military is virtually closing the secretive defense complex carved into Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Denver Post says the North American Aerospace Defense Command operations center, also known as NORAD, will be moved to Peterson Air Force Base. Peterson is home to the US Northern Command, which was created after the 9/11 attacks. Admiral Tim Keating, who commands both NORAD and the US Northern Command, is expected to make an announcement Friday. He says the government`s best intelligence indicates a missile attack from China or Russia is `very unlikely.` The Cheyenne Mountain complex was built to withstand a nuclear attack. Keating says it`ll be put on `warm standby.`

Here is a more-detailed report about the NORAD Cheyenne Mountain Complex from another on-line source: ``NORAD to shut down mountain base`` -- COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AP) - The military is virtually closing the secretive defence complex carved into Cheyenne Mountain that has watched North American skies for missiles for decades, a newspaper reported. The North American Aerospace Defense Command operations centre will be moved to nearby Peterson Air Force Base, which is home to the U.S. Northern Command created after the Sept. 11 attacks. Both are commanded by Adm. Tim Keating. In an interview with the Denver Post reported late Thursday, Keating said the government`s best intelligence `leads us to believe a missile attack from China or Russia is very unlikely.` That, along with the emergence of varied terrorist threats such as suicide bombers `is what recommends to us that we don`t need to maintain Cheyenne Mountain in a 24/7 status. We can put it on `warm standby,` ` Keating said. Keating was scheduled to make the announcement Friday. He said 230 surveillance crew members and an undetermined number of the support staff will make the move within two years. About 1,100 people now work in the mountain, including 700 support. Buildings inside the mountain, long a symbol of the Cold War, are mounted on springs to absorb the shock from a nuclear blast, while the entrance is guarded by a vault-like door several feet thick. The complex includes banks of batteries and its own water supply. Excavation on the site began in 1961. Canadian crews stationed at Cheyenne Mountain will also make the move to Peterson, Keating said. Air Force Space Command, which monitors objects in space with a crew of about 100, is looking into moving its operations out of the mountain to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, which would leave the mountain virtually empty. Keating said he would like to keep the complex in usable shape, with the goal of being able to bring it online in an hour. Besides new threats to national security, Keating said practical reasons also came into play. `I can`t be in two places at one time,` he said. Modernizing the Cold War complex has cost more than $700 million US since the Sept. 11 attacks, with the work still incomplete, according to a recent congressional probe, and operating the complex costs about $250 million per year.

Here is a new acronym to add to your vocabulary: ``N2C2.`` It stands for ``NORAD - NORTHCOM Command Center`` (which is located at Peterson AFB, CO).

Thanks Tom for your post concerning the closing of Cheyenne Mountain. As an alumnus of SAGE and 412L---which eventually gave way to missile and satellite systems--- this is, with some sadness, another step in the ever-changing technologies of surveillance and detection.

Since when did the NORAD Commander become a Navy guy?

I am also somewhat saddened by the announcement of the NCMC pending closing. I worked the Missile Warning crew in the Mountain in the mid seventies and have a great respect for those working in what we called Surveillance(SAGE..air breathers), Missile Warning and the Space Defence Center.

What did the term `Looking Glass` stand for? I remember using that term at some time during my service but can`t remember why. Was it a call sign maybe? Thanks, Charles.

For Charles McClure This is from DEFENSENET.mil For nearly 30 of those years, the Air Combat Command`s 7th Airborne Command Control Squadron, or ACCS, (which, until 1992 operated as the 2nd ACCS) at Offutt flew at least one EC-135C operational Looking Glass mission 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Its mission was to control bombers and missiles if ground control was lost at the U.S. Strategic Command`s Underground Command Center.

Charles, `Looking Glass` was the code name for the Airborne Command Post under the operational command of SAC. It was an EC-135 used for command, control and communications with our nuclear forces in the event that ground based control facilities became inoperable for one reason or another. The crew and aircraft were from the 7th Airborne Command and Control Squadron out of Offut AFB, Nebraska. Members of it`s battle staff represented all branches of the armed services. I`m sure you could find more info on the net....Marshall

Re ``Looking Glass,`` the airborne command post reportedly was so named becaused it `mirrored` the capabilities of the underground SAC command post at Offutt AFB, NE.

Just thought I`d mention my claim to fame while at my last assignment at the 21st Norad Region Hancock Field NY. I think I`m the only Live Air Defence Exercise Planner to have designed an ORI for Headquarters NORAD. The exercise was a two day Live Fly called FERTILE-MUTE 80-4(FERTILE WAS THE 21ST NR exercise tile and MUTE was NORAD`S ORI designator.) It seems the orignal NORAD exercise designer didn`t co-ordinate his excerise to well with one of the FAA ARTCC`S and half of his Target routes were no good and the Aircraft could not be intercepted when the entering US Air Space from Canada. Just thought I`d mention that in passing. Be interested in hearing from any other Live Execise Planners fron the other NORAD Regions. I was kinda of unique in that I was a MSGT when this all took place and didn`t have a rated Officer to supervise me at the time. G.A. WICKERT

Henry `Hank` Brand, Hank, I was sorry to hear about the Triangle Barracks because if they`re gone my barracks (the old WWII wooden two story open bay baracks next to Chow Hall Row ) don`t stand a chance of still existing. They were in sad shape in 1961 when I was there. I still don`t know whether I`ll be able to make the trip; but if I can I`ll let you know. At least I`ll someone there that I `ve been in touch with.

It`s 0900 25 July. Am I the only one that has lost all of the July posting in the Guest Book? Last entry I have is 29 June. Last month listed for 2006 is June.

Make that 0900 Central Time.

It would seem that a problem exists with the guestbook....I have tried several times to post a msg and the msg did not appear...I`ve been assured that it`s being looked into.

No Jim, you`re not the only one who has had trouble getting messages posted. I think it started around the 4th of July, when the guys went on vacation and shutdown the Guestbook posting of email . Several of my messages have not gotten through. I even tried to send just a brief test message because I was tired of retyping my original messages.

With reference to the Reunion scheduled for 10 - 14 September 2006, near Wright Paterson AFB and Air Museum, does anyone know whether there will be any `RADAR` exhibits or will the scheduled tours be of just military aircraft? I for one am not turned on by aircraft. During my 4 years in the USAF (during 1961-1965), I only saw T-33 trainers at Keesler AFB, and a couple of jet fighters whose pilots were PO`ed at our controllers and decided to buzz our Radar Towers one Sunday Morning and make our commander mad. There were only two ways I ever saw a Runway; the first was as part of a work detail with over fifty GIs walking in a line down the length of runways at Keesler bent over picking up everything that was not growing, and the second was walking tall and proud on those same runways on parade ( many parades during my time at Keesler). If I knew with any certainty that I would meet up with even one of the men I served with I wouldn`t think twice about attending.

Re the Guestbook troubles -- The Radomes, Inc., Guestbook is continuously bombarded with SPAM. To combat this intrusion, Gene (our webmaster) some time ago set up traps to stop or redirect unwanted Guestbook entries. Typically, this measure is transparent to most legitimate users. Unfortunately, some legitimate entries do get blocked. If you find your entries not getting through, please send a simple e-mail to Gene, and let him know. Chances are, he can create an exception to the trapping software to permit entry of your e-mail address. Also, this morning, Gene was performing some website maintenance on the Guestbook when some anomaly occurred; part of the Guestbook from mid June to mid July was inadvertently lost and cannot be retrieved. We regret the loss of entries, but things happen. Your patience in these matters is greatly appreciated. Thank you. -- Tom