ASPEN, Colo. (1/29/12) – The Colorado National Guard’s 8th Civil Support Team, combined with the Hawaii National Guard’s 93rd Civil Support Team, were on hand as first responders at the Winter X Games.

The teams also augmented security for the popular extreme winter sports competition.

For the second year, the 8th CST provided support to the games as requested by the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office. Working events like the X Games gives the team valuable experience in a real-world scenario with densely populated crowds said Army National Guard Capt. Ed Kim, an 8th CST survey team chief.

“Our job is to be in the background and blend in,” said Kim, referring to his team’s civilian clothes. “Even though people don’t know it, we’re still there to mitigate any type of threats that might be around.”

The CSTs were requested by the PCSO to wear civilian clothes for the duration of the games to mitigate civilian concern.

The teams broke up into two sub teams; one at Buttermilk during the day, where the X Games were held, and one in downtown Aspen at night.

The teams patrolled the streets searching for suspicious individuals and packages.

Also making the trip to Aspen were Guardsmen from the CONG’s state headquarters Joint Operations Center, who brought their mobile communications center, known as a Jump JOC. They mobilized a command center in order to oversee and respond in the event of an emergency – and to communicate with the CSTs and headquarters back in Centennial, Colo.

“We need to be prepared for whatever the situation requires,” said Army National Guard 1st Lt. Christopher Doerfler, the JOC’s battle captain. “We can run this from anywhere in the state and respond in real time to an emergency if necessary.”

Along with their security operations at the X Games, both Colorado and Hawaii CSTs trained in cold weather survival techniques

“It’s always a good opportunity to train and interact with other CSTs,” said Capt. Mike Kennedy, a medical operations officer of five years with the 93rd CST. “It’s also good to see how well we, as a whole with both teams, will interact with other first responder agencies.”

Representatives from one agency traveled a long way to help out. Three firefighters from the Kauai Fire Department’s HazMat Team made the journey to Aspen along with the 93rd including Lehia Pomroy. It was Pomroy’s first trip to central Colorado.

“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “We get to learn from the CSTs. It’s been a great opportunity to cross-train with them.”

Both CSTs were on-hand throughout the games’ 12-hour duty schedules, as extreme winter sports athletes launched off massive jumps and rode the steep walls of the halfpipe on the slopes just to the west of them.

“It’s always good to come to Aspen and watch the X Games while getting some good training,” said Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Chris Gonzales, a survey team chief on the 8th CST, who planned on getting some turns in on the slopes after the games were over. “We can’t complain.”

Lt. Col. Kevin Black, 8th CST commander, was pleased with the real-world training opportunity provided to his and the 93rd’s CSTs.