USAF Gen. Gregory Guillot Assumes NORAD-USNORTHCOM Lead Role

U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot took leadership of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and Northern Command during a turnover ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, on Monday, with Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks presiding. 

Guillot replaced Gen. Glen VanHerck, whom Hicks credited for leading NORTHCOM’s global integration and contributing to the Department of Defense’s 2023 Homeland Defense Policy Guidance. 

According to Hicks, a Wash100 winner and a past Potomac Officers Club speaker, Guillot is bringing to NORAD-USNORTHCOM his extensive USAF experience, which includes stints as Air Force Central’s commander and as Central Command’s deputy commander, the DOD said Monday.

In her turnover remarks, Hicks also cited USNORTHCOM and NORAD’s collective defense capability for the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas and the commands’ contributions to preserving global stability. She noted as examples the NORAD mission to shoot down and recover a Chinese high-altitude spy balloon in 2023 and USNORTHCOM’s continuing role in enhancing Arctic defense capabilities. 

In his command acceptance speech, Guillot said NORAD and NORTHCOM’s current complementary missions are more urgent than before, with the rapidly changing strategic environment wherein several North American domains can be at risk from multiple hostile approaches, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.