Learn more at www.nationalguard.mil

Current as of November 2022 Point of Contact: NGB Public Affairs at (703) 607-2612

Facts:

Incidents of critical significance 

requiring the JOC to coordinate 

operations and/or resources may:

• Occur at any time with little or 

no warning.

• Require significant information 

sharing at the unclassified levels across multiple jurisdictions 

between the military and private 

sectors and between State and 

Federal entities.

• Involve single or multiple States, 

Territories, and FEMA Regions.

• Have significant regional effects 

and/or require regional information 

sharing, resource coordination 

and/or assistance.

• Span the spectrum of incident 

management to include preparedness, prevention, response, and 

recovery.

• Involve multiple, varied hazards 

or threats on a local, state, regional, tribal, or federal scale.

• Result in numerous casualties, 

fatalities, displaced persons, property loss, and disturbance of normal life support systems, essential 

public services, basic infrastructure, and significant damage to the 

environment.

• Require short notice asset coordination and response timelines.

• Require prolonged, sustained 

incident management operations 

and support activities.

Overview: 

The NGB JOC will enable efficient, synchronized information flow and operational coordination across the National Guard (NG) and will enable shared 

situational understanding between Federal and State mission partners. The 

NGB JOC will obtain, analyze, and distribute multi-domain information to 

promote understanding of the operational environment and facilitate senior 

leader decision-making. The NGB JOC will facilitate State-to-State support, 

communications, and decision-making across NG operations. 

Mission:

Provide and promote shared situational awareness of NG personnel and 

operations to assist the Chief, National Guard Bureau (CNGB), Vice CNGB, 

Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Homeland Security, Chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, The Adjutants General (TAGs), 

and Joint/Interagency partners. Obtain, analyze, and distribute multi-domain 

information to promote an understanding of the operational environment and 

facilitate senior leader decision-making. Operate as the Current Operations 

Center (CUOC) during Adaptive Battle Staff (ABS) operations.

Incident Management Activities: 

Incident management activities are conducted according to National Incident 

Management System/Incident Coordination System (NIMS/ICS) policy and 

procedures. Incidents will be managed at the lowest organization and jurisdictional level. The expertise and capabilities of the NG, State and Federal 

Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs), private sector, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may be required to prepare for, respond to, and 

recover from, incidents of critical significance. The NGB ABS may be activated to support domestic operations and government agency response when 

required. Deployment of resources and incident management actions during 

an actual or potential terrorist incident are conducted in conjunction with 

appropriate authorities. Federal Government Agencies such as the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will support incidents determined 

to be a federal level of disaster to provide timely and effective mutual aid 

and/or intergovernmental assistance. The degree of NGB JOC involvement 

will depend upon the specific authority and/or jurisdiction. Other factors that 

may be considered include: requests for Information (RFI) and Requests for 

Assistance (RFA) for external support or ability to manage an incident, type of 

incident or location of an accident, severity and magnitude of an incident, and 

guidance from the CNGB.

2020: The Year of the Guard National Guard Bureau

Joint Operations Center