When the men and women of Vandenberg perform a mission, whether it is space surveillance or launching a payload into space, it is not solely an American effort, but rather a joint effort.
One such example is the partnership between the Americans and Canadians at Vandenberg.
Stemming out of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, a joint organization that provides aerospace warning, air sovereignty and defense for the U.S. and Canada, Air Force Space Command was created in 1982 with a focus on space surveillance, missile warning and command and control for national leadership. Canadians have been a part of this organization from the beginning and its evolution through the years have brought the current group of seven Canadians, who fill various positions, to Vandenberg. This group is part of the OUTCAN* Space Operations Unit, or OSO.
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