Cody meets with Airmen during NORAD, USNORTHCOM tour

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Chuck Marsh
  • NORAD/USNORTHCOM Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody met with Airmen from here and nearby bases as he toured North American Air Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command Feb. 10-12.

The top enlisted Airman held two all calls at Peterson Air Force Base to thank Airmen and NCOs, and to answer their questions ranging from performance reports to retirement plans.

He said he was impressed at the questions posed to him at both enlisted calls, citing his overall impression of today's enlisted corps.

"We have amazing men and women serving in our armed forces," he said. "When I get to spend time with Airmen, I see they're dedicated, they're proud, they're motivated and they're certainly very aware of what's going on in the geopolitical environment, the instability that exists around the globe, and their role in ensuring our nation's security."

After speaking with the enlisted corps, he met with Fleet Master Chief Terrence Molidor, the NORAD and USNORTHCOM command senior enlisted leader, and toured the commands' operations center.

"This was a great visit," said Molidor, a 32-year Navy veteran. "I spoke to him as I do each service's senior enlisted and said what we need from the Air Force is to continue sending us quality Airmen. Also, as the senior enlisted for the command, if we have a service-related issue we can't address with my senior enlisted advisors, he's the one I go to in order to get the final word, so just getting another chance to meet with him was helpful."

This isn't the first time the Air Force's top enlisted leader has been to the command. He said he's familiar with the unique mission sets of the command and the importance of defending the homeland.

"I certainly think 9/11 still weighs heavily on those who continue to serve," Cody said. "There's no lack of appreciation and understanding what those events signaled to our nation and how we have evolved from that time. I certainly believe our top leadership in Washington, D.C., clearly understands the importance of this command and what you do every day to secure our nation."

He also gave thanks to the Canadian and interagency counterparts working shoulder to shoulder with U.S. service members, stopping to present recognition coins to four U.S. and one Canadian enlisted member for excellence.

"We can't do it without the partnership," Cody said. "We all understand that. We have common interests here to be as effective and as responsive as absolutely necessary -- we need to be a team."

Overall, Cody said today's enlisted force is the best trained, most educated and most experienced fighting force the world has ever known.

"They step up to the plate every single day to ensure the security of the nation and they will ensure the generations that follow in their footsteps are even better than them," Cody said. "They're just a dedicated great group of people and our nation should be extremely proud and grateful they have the watch."