Photo By Senior Airman Christopher Ornelas | U.S. service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Guard clean up debris...... read more read more
The rugged coastline of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay stretches under the blazing Caribbean sun. Jagged cliffs meet clear blue waters, while brush, cactus and palm trees crowd dry, rocky hills.
Amid this stark beauty, scattered trash at the ferry landing, beaches and other populated areas stand out; a reminder that keeping this place clean requires ongoing effort and care.
Service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Guard have answered that call. For eight weeks, Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen have gathered every Sunday, often for one to two hours. Groups of 10 to 20 volunteers' clear trash from key spots like Windmill Beach, a popular recreation area and critical sea turtle nesting site, along with Camp America, Cable Beach and Hospital Point.
“Due to the high winds and trash that washes up on the shores of NSGB, it is challenging to keep the beaches and terrain free of debris,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. John Phelan, JTF-SG deputy commander. “The Joint Task Force is able to leverage the close proximity of our living quarters to the shoreline to conduct clean up evolutions with maximum participation.”
To date, they have removed roughly 1,000 gallons of debris. U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Tanner Griffith leads the Mayor Cell’s cleaning efforts.
“I’m proud of every service member who dedicates their time to make NSGB a better place,” Griffith said. “Our cleanups are about respect for the land, the mission and each other.”
Working closely with the base’s public works and environmental branches, Griffith and the team are identifying new areas in need of attention. Plans are underway to begin cleanup efforts on secured beaches, which see little maintenance but are environmentally important.
This installation is unique; on foreign land, it generates its own power, produces its own water and manages its own waste. Living here means everyone shares responsibility for maintaining the environment.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Nicholas Pascuzzi, JTF-SG senior enlisted leader, recently stressed that ethical decision-making and integrity are central to the Marine Corps culture. He reminded service members that stewardship isn’t just about the mission, it’s about doing what’s right, even when no one is watching.
“Their efforts are encouraging others to remove debris around base instead of passing it by,” Phelan said. “It’s contagious and shows that anyone at any rank can lead and make a positive difference that others quickly emulate.”
More than just tidying spaces, these efforts build camaraderie and foster a culture of environmental protection, which is vital on this remote base.
As new members of the NSGB community, JTF-SG is proving that good stewardship is essential, not optional, to sustaining this mission and the installation.
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2025 13:28 |
| Story ID: | 547541 |
| Location: | NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, CU |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Stewards of the land: JTF-SG’s role in preserving Guantanamo Bay, by SSgt Aubree Owens, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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