Coast Guard security: On land and at sea

Photo By Sgt. April de Armas | Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Strauss monitors the area around the Expeditionary Legal Complex as part of a routine security check at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, July 23. The Maritime Safety and Security Team 91101 perform maritime anti-terrorism and force protection duties for Joint Task Force Guantanamo. JTF Guantanamo conducts safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees, including those convicted by military commission and those ordered released by a court. 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 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

08.28.2009

Story by Spc. April de Armas 

Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — When most people think about the Coast Guard they think about boats trolling waterways to protect U.S. coastlines. However, members of Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team 91101 will tell anyone who asks that landside security is just as important to their mission as water security.

"The Coast Guard has been involved in landside security missions since World War II," said Coast Guard Lt. Patrick Hayes, MSST 91101 operations officer. "After the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, law enforcement ashore has been ramped up to help protect the shipping interest of goods entering the U.S."

MSST 91101 not only provides waterside security for Joint Task Force Guantanamo, they also provide landside protection at the Expeditionary Legal Complex, which facilitates military commission hearings for detainees.

"We work hand-in-hand with the 480th Military Police Company, also assigned to JTF [Guantanamo], to provide a necessary layer of protection for JTF [Guantanamo service members] and detainees during commission hearings," said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Jason Berger, MSST 91101 landside security team leader.

National media representatives visit U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on a regular basis to tour the detention facilities and observe military commission proceedings. These proceedings are covered heavily by media sources from around the globe.

"We feel it is necessary to protect the area to ensure the media have the proper access as well as to protect the [service members] and detainees," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Strauss, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of landside security.

Security measures include conducting security patrols and operating various check points where identification is viewed to ensure proper access or clearance to the area.

"Part of my job is to ensure that everyone is properly identified before entering the area and to make rounds [to visually maintain security] outside the ELC," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathanael Diaz, a member of the security patrol. "I feel it is a very important part of the mission here at [JTF Guantanamo]."

Strauss said MSST 91101 will continue to provide waterborne and landside security for the duration of their deployment and will pass the torch on to the next unit when it is time.

"Until that time, we are glad to be part of JTF [Guantanamo] and to work with all of the [service members] and look forward to continued service," he said.

• Date Taken: 08.28.2009
• Date Posted: 08.31.2009 12:29
• Story ID: 38183
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU