Keeping It All Connected - The Joint Operations Center in Action
Story by Sgt. Emily Donigan - Posted Dec, 2007
During an emergency, nothing is more important than getting information from those in crisis to those who can help. The Joint Operations Center (JOC) on Camp Murray is the information and communications hub for the Washington National Guard.
“They’re the eyes and ears for the TAG (The Adjutant General),” said Master Sergeant Alfonso Cadena, the operations Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in charge of the JOC. “They’re information gatherers and disseminators.”
The JOC is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a small group of full time Guardsmen, said Cadena. It’s the main point of contact for the Army and Air National Guard. They handle everything from Red Cross messages to state emergencies, said Cadena
“We’re like a 911 center,” said Sergeant First Class Richard Hull, the Battle NCO for the JOC.
On December 2 a storm tore through western Washington causing severe flooding and damage across six counties. Thousands of people lost power and water. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed. The JOC placed rapid response teams on alert. The following afternoon Governor Christine O. Gregoire signed a proclamation activating the Washington National Guard.
Within six hours of the proclamation being signed, three National Guard rapid response teams from Tacoma, Everett and Olympia were on site performing missions, said Cadena.
After last years flooding, the state organized five National Guard rapid response teams. Each team consists of at least 12 soldiers, four high water vehicles, one 5-ton wrecker, a high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle, life preservers, safety vests and a spot light. The Tacoma response team from 96th Brigade was the first National Guard team out. They assisted the Washington State Patrol set up traffic control points between Chehalis and Centralia on Interstate 5, which was flooded.
“Having the response team ready to go, identified and with equipment, plus notifying them Sunday, put us ahead of the power curve,” said Cadena
By 5 a.m. December 4, approximately 270 soldiers from 1st Squadron, 303rd Cavalry, 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team stood ready to handle any mission handed down from the JOC. Throughout the tumultuous week, those soldiers would be joined by an additional 200 Guardsmen from 81st Brigade, 96th Troop Command, 66th Theater Aviation Command and the Air National Guard.
Nearly 500 Guardsmen performed various missions across four counties in western Washington, said Cadena. They conducted door-to-door checks at nearly 1,000 homes and evacuated stranded residents, many by boat, said Captain Brad Benson, the liaison officer for 81st HBCT. They transferred storm victims to shelters and assisted the Red Cross and local volunteers in shelter operations. The Guardsmen delivered generators, water, food, blankets, and other much-needed supplies to staging areas and to individual homes. They also provided security and continued to assist the Washington State Department of Transportation and Washington State Patrol with traffic control.
Meanwhile, the JOC hummed busily back on Camp Murray. At any given time 16 to 20 Guardsmen manned workstations, monitoring and coordinating the troops out on missions. Hull said this last week has been chaotic, but good.
The National Guard was able to respond quickly and support the missions handed to them by the Emergency Management Division, said Cadena. They were able to get out there and help the public and everybody came back safe and sound.
“I think we did our job and we did it well,” Cadena said.
The week consisted of long, exhausting days during the emergency response, but few complained. Many joined the National Guard to serve their country and their neighbors.
“I was proud to be in Iraq, but honored to be here,” said Benson who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom II from 2004 to 2005. “These are our people. We know them.”
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