JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - Col. Travis T. Boltjes, who completed undergraduate pilot training at Columbus AFB, Miss., became commander of the Western Air Defense Sector (WADS) during a virtual change of command ceremony here on Jan. 4. Lt. Gen Kirk S. Pierce, Commander of the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Region (CONR)-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern and Air Forces Space), presided over the ceremony virtually from Tyndall AFB, Fla. Boltjes has deployed four times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Prior to being assigned to WADS, he was the Chief of Staff at CONR-1AF. WADS is staffed by active-duty Washington Air National Guardsmen, Royal Canadian Air Force, Navy liaison officers and federal civilians. The unit supports the NORAD integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the USNORTHCOM homeland defense mission. It is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the western United States and directs assets to defend 2.2M square miles of land and sea west of the Mississippi River. (WADS 01/09/23)
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