Norwegian Air Force Colonel (COL) Roy Olsen (left), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) deployed detachment commander escorts Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) James G. Roche on a tour of the NATO ramp at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. SECAF Roche traveled to Tinker specifically to thank the AWACS community and NATO crews for the long hours and hard work they've put in for homeland security. The NATO AWACS crews, composed of twelve participating nations, deployed to the United States the first week of October 2001, from their home base in Geilenkirchen, Germany for Operation EAGLE ASSIST in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE. They brought seven...

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

[Complete] Scene Caption: Norwegian Air Force Colonel (COL) Roy Olsen (left), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) deployed detachment commander escorts Secretary of the Air Force (SECAF) James G. Roche on a tour of the NATO ramp at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. SECAF Roche traveled to Tinker specifically to thank the AWACS community and NATO crews for the long hours and hard work they've put in for homeland security. The NATO AWACS crews, composed of twelve participating nations, deployed to the United States the first week of October 2001, from their home base in Geilenkirchen, Germany for Operation EAGLE ASSIST in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE. They brought seven E-3A Sentry aircraft with them, and integrated in with the 552nd Air Control Wing (ACW) based at Tinker to provide 24 hour coverage of the air space in various places throughout North America. SECAF Roche complimented both organizations for their seamless integration by saying, "I have been amazed at the performance of our Sentry aircraft crews as well as the performance of our NATO allies. It's extraordinary the way you've been able to perform your mission. My special compliments to the maintenance crews who keep these planes going."

Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE

Base: Tinker Air Force Base

State: Oklahoma (OK)

Country: United States Of America (USA)

Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Jim Varhegyi, USAF

Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files