laststandonzombieisland

As part of the GWOT/Operation Enduring Freedom, in 2002, the Navy tapped Coast Guard Reserve Port Security Units to step up the waterside security abord Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. This was later augmented by USCG Maritime Safety and Security Teams performing anti-terrorism force protection with the combined team termed the Maritime Security Detachment (MARSECDET) as part of Joint Task Force 160, later JTF-GTMO.

The Coast Guard’s eight PSUs, consisting of 120-150 people comprising 12 boat crews, three security squads, and command, logistics, communications, and engineering departments, would typically rotate into Cuba for six or nine-month tours every four-five years or so, maintaining a persistent presence while not burning out the small boat guys too much. Otherwise, they could continue their normal annual 2-week ADT along with monthly IDT weekends.

Fittingly, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia-based PSU 305 was the first unit to deploy to GTMO in 2002 and just wrapped up its fifth unit deployment to the base and they will be the last, at least for now. PSU just cased their colors and are headed back home. 

Like the Navy, they are shedding as much of the old missions from the GWOT era and pivoting to the Pacific. 

Per USCG PAO:

There have been 39 unit rotations to Guantanamo Bay since the Coast Guard began supporting the mission. The men and women assigned to the MARSECDET collectively provided over 200,000 underway hours conducting around-the-clock waterside patrols and over 50,000 hours of shoreside anti-terrorism and force protection defense security to Department of Defense assets and personnel at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.