Return of Port Security Unit 308

Photo By Sgt. Amber Bohlman | Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenneth Wallace, boatswain's mate, Petty Office 3rd Class Matthew Connell, machinery technician, and Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Remson, machinery technician descend the airplane after landing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Jan. 5. These Coast Guardsmen are members of Port Security Unit 308 that will be relinquishing command from PSU 312.  

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

01.05.2015

Story by Spc. Amber Bohlman 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba—Monday, Jan. 5 was not only the start to another work week for Port Security Unit 308; it was the first day of their nine-month long deployment here at Joint Task Force Guantanamo.

More than 70 new Coast Guardsmen disembarked from their plane and walked across the tarmac toward security, the excitement to start their deployment was evident.

“I’ve been training really hard, and I’m here with a lot of great shipmates. I feel like we’ll be able to carry out the mission just fine,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jantz Sloane, boatswain mate. “We’re all trained for this mission, and we all know what to do no matter the situation.”

PSU 308 will provide force protection for the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, in and around the harbor, and assist with the JTF mission.

“We’re definitely looking forward to participating and being a part of the community here, and a part of the joint mission, even the Naval Station mission,” said Cmdr. Ronzelle Green, commanding officer. “We want to integrate with most of the forces here, and be a positive influence and still get the mission complete. We want to be considered a part of the community.”

For some of PSU 308 this is not their first time here, Green and Master Chief Petty Officer Kenneth King, the senior enlisted leader for PSU 308, both deployed here for six months in 2002 with PSU 305.

“Everything looks the same except a couple of things; it’s still the same joint mission – the mission has just expanded,” Green said.

PSU 308 is a reserve unit based in Kiln, Mississippi, that has been around since 1998, with previous deployments to Guantanamo Bay in 2008 and Kuwait in 2010. Many of its members are from the surrounding cities, some even travel from a different state to drill each month, while others haven’t ever ventured this far from home. Green said this is the first time a lot of them have deployed.

“I’ve never deployed before. I wasn’t qualified for the unit’s last deployment to Kuwait,” Sloane said. “I was really excited when I found out that we were going to Guantanamo. I’ve worked the last four years to make sure that I would be qualified for this deployment.”

Petty Officer 3rd Class Emmanuel Washington, machinery technician, said this is not his first time away from home, but he’s glad to be here with his shipmates.

After months of preparation, PSU 308 is finally here and ready to make their place in the community.

“I think things are going to go great here. Folks are finally starting to settle in and figure out what’s what and where’s where. They really understand the mission. The biggest thing is understanding this whole joint community and how we can really be a part of it,” Green said.

• Date Taken: 01.05.2015
• Date Posted: 01.22.2015 13:37
• Story ID: 152481
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU
• Hometown: KILN, MS, US