Colorado Army National Guard 1st Lt. Christopher Doerfler stands next to a non-descript truck and trailer against a backdrop of snow-covered mountain peaks half a mile from the site of the 2012 Winter X Games.

Doerfler is the J-3 Joint Operations Center officer in charge, and inside the trailer is a mission-capable, fully functioning mobile communications center known as a “Jump JOC.”

He and his operating crew are here training on this unit to ensure the Colorado National Guard has the capabilities to mobilize a command center that can be up and running in the event of an emergency to provide communication support between units and the command element.

The team is participating in training coinciding with the CONG Civil Support Team’s security mission taking place in the area this weekend.

Doerfler says the primary purpose is to be able to provide an alternate location for a command post consisting of communication equipment such as Internet, phone, radio and satellite connectivity in the event that the JOC is unable to function or the mission requires a facility at another location if an incident did take place.

Doerfler said the CONG needs to be prepared for a vast range of emergency situations such as blizzards, tornadoes, fires and terrorist attacks.

“We need to be prepared for whatever the situation requires,” he said. “We can run this from anywhere in the state and respond in real time to an emergency if necessary.”

Doerfler demonstrates a computerized notebook system used by the Jump JOC that allows for communications between the CONG and the Colorado Department of Emergency Management by allowing the two agencies to conduct videoconferences in real time for more effective response coordination when responding to situations that require them to work together.

This allows the Jump JOC to track significant actions, use chat software, access current update briefs as well as status information for aviation assets – all from programs on this device.

“It’s another great tool we use to communicate and the advantage of these tablets is that we can take them just about anywhere,” Doerfler said.

Doerfler is also the executive officer of Company C, 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry, based out of Grand Junction, Colo., and says his work with the Jump JOC makes him better equipped to handle tasks assigned to him because of his knowledge gained by working with higher headquarters.

Communicating via a computerized notepad to the Jump JOC, COARNG Lt. Col. Kevin Kick, CONG operations director, said the facility is of great value to domestic operations teams like those deployed out in Pitkin County currently conducting security operations during the 2012 Winter X Games.

Kick said multiple simultaneous missions need to have pieces of headquarters capabilities farmed out in support of these different and distinct missions; and having mobile capabilities as an alternative or addition to the fixed JOC location is necessary, particularly when dealing with incidents such as a wildfire, were remote operations are performed.

“It gives us the ability to get ground we may not be able to normally,” Kick said, “and the flexibility to adapt to something as simple as a weather scenario like a tornado that might take out capability at our state headquarters.”

Kick said this particular mission is unique because the CONG has been conducting operations in civilian clothing instead of military uniforms, but were asked by the civilian teams co-training on the mission not to have an obvious military presence at the games.

“We’re pretty excited about the partnership with the folks of Pitkin County and Aspen,” Kick said. “The X Games is one of the largest events going on in the U.S. this weekend and it’s an important community who we’re happy to support.”

The Jump JOC has a crew of four communication specialists that set up and operate the equipment and handle communications traffic.

COARNG Sgt. Louis Chapman is a JOC technician and said the value of having this facility is that it can be set up and allow the CONG to sustain their mission in adverse conditions.

Chapman said it’s crucial to keep communications flowing during emergency situations, especially with the important role the JOC plays in a response mission.

“This is where the Department of Emergency Management calls to request a Blackhawk, troops and vehicles,” he said. “It allows us to sustain mission when communication is imperative to the mission.”

Another benefit of having so many different means of communications available is that situation reports and statuses can be put in one virtual location that is accessible to military and pertinent civilian agencies.

“Having information consolidated frees up phone lines and email and reduces excess redundancies in the report process,” Chapman said.

Chapman believes his experience working with the Jump JOC contributes greatly to his other National Guard position as a noncommissioned officer in the 220th Military Police Company due to a better understanding of the collaboration involved in accomplishing missions at the higher levels.

Chapman said his dual position is a force multiplier and allows him to get more training and acquire more skills in both fields.

“It’s great to be part of an important piece of the Guard mission,” Chapman said. “We’re playing a key role in making sure our state is safe and secure-that’s a pretty satisfying feeling.”

Colorado Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Josh Imeraj, a JOC operator and civil engineer in the 140th Civil Engineer Squadron makes reports, tracks missions and operates communications equipment for his duties as part of the Jump JOC crew.

“It’s great being able to set up anywhere and do our job,” he said. “A crew can get the satellite up and running in 30 minutes – 15 if they’re experienced.”

Imeraj said working with the Army on these missions is a valuable experience and the training and adapting to new environments is one of his favorite parts of the job. He also said it’s nice to know what assets both branches of National Guard have so they can supplement each other when necessary.

“We help each other out in the joint forces atmosphere. It’s definitely a mutually beneficial relationship,” Imeraj said.

Another member of the crew is COARNG Sgt. 1st Class Craig Higgins, a communications specialist and JOC noncommissioned officer in charge, who is conducting routine weekly radio checks with a unit in Fort. Carson. He points out that the Guardsman on the other end of the radio have no idea that the call is being sent from their remote location as opposed to coming from the fixed JOC headquarters.

An interesting fact Higgins shares is that the Jump JOC it is actually a converted racecar trailer.

“We modified it to suit our purposes and chose this option because it saved us funds by allowing us to use existing equipment,” he said.

Outlets and cabinets were installed in the trailer, and a heater and an air-conditioning unit were added. The trailer even has a solar panel that powers the radios so that in the event the generator goes out there will still be existing communications.

Three different radio systems are on hand to connect with military vehicles and the stationary command stations. One has the capacity to reach as far as Washington D.C. and Hawaii.

Higgins said the Jump JOC is stored at a separate location from the fixed JOC so it can be deployed in times of crises when the situation calls for it.

“It’s exciting,” Higgins said. “To give you some examples of our capabilities, we can assist in rescues, and send vehicles into snowstorms to transport blood to hospitals and help stranded motorists.”

Higgins said the best part of his job is getting to see directly the CONG’s contribution to the state.

“That’s the best part of the job – the real missions we’re a part of – to call our forces out to help support our citizens of the state,” he said.