De-rat-ification

Courtesy Photo | GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Becherer, shown here after receiving the Joint Service Accommodation Medal and the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal at the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Headquarters last November. Becherer is part of group helping to control Hutia populations on U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detained enemy combatants, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released. The JTF conducts intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination for the protection of detainees and personnel working in JTF Guantanamo facilities and in support of the Global War on Terror. JTF Guantanamo provides support to the Office of Military Commissions, to law enforcement and to war crimes investigations. The JTF conducts planning for and, on order, responds to Caribbean mass migration operations.  

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

09.12.2008

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Vaughn Larson 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – He's not quite the Pied Piper of Hamlin, but Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Becherer still plays an important role in the quality of life here.

Becherer, a Master at Arms and senior non-commissioned officer in the Camp America commandant's office, volunteers up to 15 hours each week helping Bremcor's environmental control office with Hutia population control and monitoring.

"I like the outdoors," he explained. "A lot of people complain about banana rats, so I thought I'd take it upon myself to help."

Becherer is part of a team led by Bremcor's Mark Massa that scours U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo, from the fence lines to housing areas and beach access roads, in search of Hutia colonies that have grown large enough to damage the habitat. Hutia can strip trees of leaves and damage undergrowth, Becherer explained.

"That's why you see all those trees that are dying," he said, and why dirt washes onto roads after a rain.

When overpopulated Hutia colonies are identified, the population control team uses pellet guns or .22 caliber weapons to reduce the colony. The team coordinates with base security, informing the Masters at Arms of where they will be, who is participating, and what weapons are being used.

Becherer has volunteered for this duty since January, and in that time has learned how Hutias live and breed, and their life expectancy. He said he has seen an improvement in the Hutia population until recently, when the team took a break.

"I'm starting to see a lot of Hutias around," he acknowledged. "[It's time to] start up again."

www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil

• Date Taken: 09.12.2008
• Date Posted: 09.19.2008 09:35
• Story ID: 23859
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU