New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs News - Eastern Air Defense Sector Joins Rome Area Officials at

Story by: Tim Jones - Eastern Air Defense Sector
Dated: Thu, Nov 11, 2010

Warrant Officer Duane Feltham and the Canadian Forces Detachment Rome stand at attention on Thursday prior to Rome’s Veterans Day ceremony. Nov. 11 is Canada’s Remembrance Day and the red flowers on the Canadian uniforms are poppies, which serves as the nation’s flower of remembrance. The traditional wearing of the poppy was inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” which was written by Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae in 1915 shortly after Battle of Ypres (Photo by Mr. Tim Jones, Eastern Air Defense Sector)

ROME, N.Y -- New York Air National Guardsmen and Canadian Forces members from the Eastern Air Defense Sector honored military veterans of both nations Thursday morning in a ceremony at Rome’s Memorial Park.

Led by Lt. Col. Elise Hereth, EADS Deputy Commander, Support, and Lt. Col. Joseph MacMillan, Canadian Forces, Rome Detachment commander, EADS personnel presented the American and Canadian colors and laid memorial wreaths at the city’s Veterans Monument. Representatives from the Rome Memorial Day Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2246, the Henry P. Smith American Legion Post #24, the Marine Corps League and several other veterans’ organizations also participated, as did Rome Mayor James Brown.

“It was an honor to be able to join local elected officials, veterans’ organizations and other community leaders to pay tribute to our veterans’ service and sacrifice,” said Col. John Bartholf, EADS commander. “EADS is a bi-national command and our combined ceremony recognized all Americans and Canadians who have served their countries, especially those have fallen in freedom’s defense.”

The 50-minute ceremony began at 10:30 Thursday morning and two minutes of silence were observed at precisely 11 a.m. This traditional period of silence marks the beginning of the World War I armistice, which took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. Both Veterans Day and Remembrance Day initially commemorated servicemen killed in World War I. Over time, the respective national holidays have been expanded to pay tribute to all American and Canadian military veterans.

The Eastern Air Defense Sector is headquartered at Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Staffed by active-duty New York Air National Guardsmen and a Canadian Forces detachment, the unit supports the North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the Northern Command’s (NORTHCOM) homeland defense mission. EADS is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the eastern United States and directs a variety of assets to defend one million square miles of land and sea.