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The North American Aerospace Defense Command welcomed a new deputy commander on Aug. 15 during a ceremony at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
Lieutenant-General Tom Lawson, a Canadian Forces officer, assumed the position of NORAD deputy commander from LGen Marcel Duval, also a Canadian, who held the position for the previous two years.
The position is traditionally held by a Canadian Air Force officer.
Gen Charles Jacoby, Commander of NORAD and United States Northern Command presided over the ceremony.
LGen Duval is retiring after serving 36 years in uniform. He was previously the deputy commander of the Continental U.S. NORAD Region and the commander of the Canadian NORAD Region.
It is with some sadness that I depart this organization of which I have been part since 2004, said LGen Duval. It is never easy to depart a team such as this and it is only made harder that I am departing and taking off the uniform I have worn since 1975.
If my time at NORAD is any indication, LGen Lawson will be supported by a great team of the most dedicated and professional military personnel I have had the pleasure of knowing, he continued, talking about the team that had supported him since 2009.
LGen Lawson comes to NORAD from the position of Assistant Chief of the Air Staff at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa.
I am very pleased to be taking over from LGen Duval as NORAD Deputy Commander, he said. Having spent years flying fighters in the air defence role, NORAD is a great fit for me. I’m looking forward to getting started and working with the great team that has been assembled here at NORAD.
LGen Lawson is the 22nd NORAD deputy dommander.
NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that is responsible for the air defence of North America and maritime warning. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Winnipeg, Man.; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
The command is poised both tactically and strategically in our nation’s capital to provide a multilayered defence to detect, deter and prevent potential threats flying over the airspace of the United States and Canada.
