hurricane making landfall — that could arise. Representatives from federal agencies, such as The Federal Emergency Management Administration, united States Northern Command, Department of Homeland Security and Air Force listen via teleconference. Few questions come during her 10 minutes at the podium.
They can be demanding hours for the soldiers, airmen and NANA Pacific employees. Teams of about 20 work as a group, and every six weeks the day shift becomes night and night shift becomes day. It helps create cohesion and a team-like atmosphere, according to NANA Pacific Project Manager Eric Young.
Jackson grew up in Mobile, Ala., but has no intention of going back. “This is a great opportunity,” she says. “In Mobile there just aren’t as many jobs or the incentive to grow.” Jackson and her husband Antonio have two boys, Tyrell, 8, and Marques, 4. She thinks her job and being in Virginia is better for her family. It’s “more comfortable,” she says, and she likes Virginia’s schools. Jackson served a few years in the u.S. Air Force and sees working for NANA at the NBG JoCC as a way to use her top-secret security clearance and keep her military ties.
While MacDonald manages the military show, Young runs things on the NANA Pacific side. Like Jackson, Young started in the military. He served 22 years in the Marines, including two tours in Iraq. These days, Young is a familiar sight at the NGB JoCC, and he pulls a smile from just about every employee with just a quick sentence or two. He lost his right arm at the
Jackson “is prompt, professional and diligent,” says Air Force Colonel Keith MacDonald, who runs the military operations at the NGB JoCC. Though she works for NANA, Jackson’s military experience makes her a great fit for this public-private partnership, he says. “She brings a unique perspective to this job because she (has) a keen understanding of what is going on.”
“The service we provide gives decision makers up the chain of command the information they need to make decisions that impact the safety of our citizens.” — Eric Young, NANA Pacific employee The NGB JoCC was started in part to help create a better, more efficient way for the National Guard to serve in crisis, to know what is happening at the scene of an emergency. “Hurricane Katrina was a watershed moment that drives this,” MacDonald says. “We had to get a lot better and we have gotten a lot better.” MacDonald works with contacts from each state and territory to see what events are on the horizon and how his group can assist. Whether it’s a united Nations summit in New York, a tornado in Nebraska or a G-20 gathering in California, MacDonald supplies people to help. The situation might require equipment to run the operation efficiently or emergency response planning and gear, in case something goes wrong. “If we never go beyond talking or providing for a state’s needs and the event stays quiet,” MacDonald says, “that’s a good thing.” MacDonald works the same shift as the rest of the dayside NGB JoCC, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for four days, followed by four days off.
shoulder helping a friend cut down a tree about a year ago, but it doesn’t slow him. “Working that desk, being in that JoCC, has got to be about understanding how important its mission is, not only for the Guard but for our nation,” Young says. He’s been with the company about five years, since NANA Pacific started working on the National Guard Bureau contract. “The service we provide gives decision makers up the chain of command the information they need to make decisions that impact the safety of our citizens.”
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