There are 2,160 hours in 90 days — that’s exactly how long Joint Task Force Southern Guard has been active. In that time, more than 2,500 Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, interagency civilians and contractors answered a short-notice tasking to deploy to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s Illegal Alien Holding Operations. Standing up a joint task force is no small feat — but the team did it, and fast.
The JTF-SG is one of two task forces assigned to a broader mission: Operation Southern Guard. At the direction of the President Donald J. Trump, both task forces support DHS in protecting the territorial integrity of the United States of America.
Under the leadership of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Philip Ryan, the first JTF-SG commander, the team swiftly stood-up and managed facilities to support a potential influx of up to 30,000 illegal aliens, working in lockstep with DHS and interagency partners.
At its peak, approximately 2,500 service members were deployed to Guantanamo Bay, commonly referred to as GTMO.
But like all mission sets, this one has evolved. Today, the number of personnel has been scaled down to nearly 600 to meet the mission at hand.
One of the first boots on the ground was U.S. Army Col. Daniel Hickey, who now serves as the JTF-SG commander. Following a thorough assessment of current conditions, JTF-SG adjusted their posture to align with the evolving mission requirements. The situation remains dynamic, and the task force is fully prepared to scale operations up or down as needed.
“When I arrived on January 31, I was leading the Situational Awareness Team (S-SAT),” said Hickey. “But as the mission expanded, I shifted into the J3 role and eventually assumed command.”
The JTF-SG system is built around eight functional areas (personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics, planning, communications, training, and resources), and is the backbone of any task force’s organization. Hickey’s transition from S-SAT to J3 and finally, to commander, exemplifies the adaptability that’s become a hallmark of this operation.
“Within the first two weeks, we were able to come in and establish a full JTF headquarters,” Hickey stated. “We built from the capacity to hold one protected illegal alien here, to the capacity to hold almost 3,000.”
However, the rapid growth of operations began to underscore the significant hurdles the team faced.
“The simple fact that we are doing this on an island - everything takes twice as long,” Hickey explained. “If we need PVC pipe to hook up a shower trailer, it takes two weeks to get the materials in; things are not readily available.”
In addition to some physical hurdles that JTF-GS has faced, there have also been logistical hurdles. Each illegal alien transfer requires tight coordination - security, medical, transport assets, weather, timing, and vessel availability all play a role.
“We moved 178 Venezuelan illegal aliens all in one lift,” said Hickey. “We made four trips from the windward side to the leeward side of NSGB and it required significant synchronization and coordination - this was a massive accomplishment.”
In the face of these challenges, each member has demonstrated significant adaptability and problem-solving skills.
“I drill this into my team; they have to be like Gumby - incredibly flexible,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Cody Mackall, JTF-SG battle noncommissioned officer. “Adaptation is the name of the game.”
Mackall’s role with the JTF is to ensure smooth operations. He facilitates the movement and tracking of personnel and resources related to the mission set on NSGB.
“I’m the one making sure the gears keep turning and that the command team has a clear picture of what’s happening on the ground, in real-time,” Mackall said. “It’s a demanding role, but vital to the overall success of the mission.
In the next few months, JTF-SG will continue to conduct manning reviews to assess current personnel levels with mission requirements.
Hickey expressed gratitude for the JTF-SG team's rapid mobilization and their continued dedication to the mission.
The way this team has come together has been incredible,” Hickey stated. “It’s been critical – this is truly what it looks like to be a joint headquarters combined task force.”
| Date Taken: | 04.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2025 12:28 |
| Story ID: | 496334 |
| Location: | GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 90 days in – Joint Task Force Southern Guard, by SSgt Natalie Rubenak, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
