GEN. RALPH EBERHART

Commander, U.S. Northern Command

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

719-554-3001

For the first time since George Washington took command of the Continental Army on june 15, 1775, a single military commander is in charge of homeland defense. he is Air Force Gen. Ralph "Ed" Eberhart, 57, who heads the U.S. Northern Command.

NORTHCOM was created in October 2002 to counter threats and stem aggression against the United States and to help civil authorities respond to attacks and natural disasters. It consolidates several organizations, including the Joint Task Force Civil Support, as well as the anti-drug activities formerly assigned to the Joint Forces Command. The North American Aerospace Defense Coin-niand (NORAI)), although not part of NORTHCOM, works closely with it and is under Eberhart's command.

Headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CoIo., NORTHCOM has a relatively small staff-about 650 civilian and uniformed personnel-and focuses on coordinating military activities with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (now part of the Homeland security Department), other security organizations, and first responders at the state and local levels.