MARCH 3, 2025 – When boots hit the ground and luggage is off-loaded, someone must be there to guarantee personnel and resources are received, integrated, and prepared for the mission ahead.
They may not be standing planeside with welcome drinks and leis, but the Joint Task Force Southern Guard (JTF-SG) joint reception, staging, onward movement, and integration (JRSOI) team is the first to greet incoming forces to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba.
“From the moment personnel step off the plane, we’re here to provide a structured, seamless transition into operations,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose Espinosa, JTF-SG mobility officer. “Our job is to eliminate confusion and get them integrated into the mission as efficiently as possible.”
Involving key elements from J1 (personnel), J2 (intelligence), OPSEC, safety, public affairs office (PAO), legal, and medical, the JRSOI team executes a deliberate, multi-step process to guarantee a smooth transition into the Department of Defense-supported, Department of Homeland Security-led migrant operations center, no matter their role.
“JRSOI is more than a reception. It’s the foundation for operational success,” said Sgt. Maj. Hiram Gonzalez, JTF-SG J3 sergeant major. “By involving subject matter experts, we make sure no detail is overlooked.”
The first stop in the reception process is personnel specialists, who handle accountability and administrative processing. From briefing troops on entitlements to personnel accountability, J1 ensures everyone is ready to execute their duties.
“The JRSOI process sets the tone for the mission,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Brian Hernandez, a JTF-SG J1 noncommissioned officer. “Accountability isn’t just about checking names off a list. It’s about ensuring the right people are in the right place at the right time, fully prepared to do their job.”
While personnel are being processed, the JTF-SG PAO and safety officer brief incoming service members on operational messaging, social media awareness, and risk mitigation.
Safety officers reinforce best practices for risk management, providing briefings on environmental hazards, injury prevention, and emergency response procedures specific to NSGB.
“JRSOI is the perfect time to instill a culture of safety. We encourage engaged leadership and disciplined adherence to standards,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Shamus Kirschbaum, JTF-SG safety officer. “Most importantly, we inform personnel of identified hazards and risk controls already in place to ensure they actively participate in the risk management plan to complete this mission safely.”
Similar to safety, everyone is responsible for protecting critical information. Operational security (OPSEC) plays a pivotal role explaining this shared duty at JRSOI.
“OPSEC is about identifying vulnerabilities that could lead to critical information being exposed,” Armel explained. “If we don’t recognize those risks, we can’t teach service members and leaders how to mitigate them and prevent our mission from being compromised.”
OPSEC briefers educate personnel on how to safeguard sensitive mission details, highlighting the importance of protecting operational movements, communication security, and maintaining situational awareness.
Closely aligned with OPSEC, J2 intelligence specialists provide security briefings to ensure that incoming personnel understand the threat landscape, force protection measures in place, and access control protocols in place at NSGB.
“Some people forget that NSGB is a restricted base,” said SSG Luis Ortizrosado, JTF-SG security manager. “We provide base clearances for all incoming troops, ensuring they can execute their jobs without unnecessary delays at security checkpoints throughout the base, including the joint operations center, the migrant operations center, and the detention facility. Our job is to ensure the right people have access to the right areas while keeping unauthorized personnel out.”
While medical screenings such as medication refills and immunizations, and legal preparations such as wills and powers of attorney were completed before deployment, the JRSOI process reinforces the essentials that personnel need to know during their time here.
Medical briefers ensure every service member knows the medical facility locations, sick call hours, and available care options. The medical team plays an important role in maintaining force health protection, making sure personnel are physically fit for duty and aware of procedures should they need medical attention.
“Our priority is keeping service members healthy and mission-ready,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Esai Franco, a JTF-SG medic. “Force health protection doesn’t stop once service members arrive to NSGB. We make sure they have the information they need to stay medically ready, whether it’s knowing where the nearest facility is or understanding the process for medical evacuations.”
Legal provides additional clarity on General Order #1, rules of use of force (RUF), and interagency coordination policies so every service member understands the legal parameters of their mission.
“One of my most important responsibilities is training incoming Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen on the RUF,” U.S. Army Sgt. Shaun Honeycutt, the JTF-SG paralegal noncommissioned officer in charge explained. “I ensure that all the incoming personnel understand the tasks, conditions, and standards for the use of force which ultimately leads to the safety of the force and the safe and humane treatment of the illegal alien population.”
Together, these elements create a structured reception process that lays the foundation for JTF-SG’s success. The JRSOI team ensures that every arriving service member is informed, equipped, and positioned to contribute effectively to the mission from the very first step.
“Every mission starts with a well-executed JRSOI to ensure that every individual is integrated into the mission without disruption,” said Gonzalez. “Without it, we’d have uncoordinated arrivals, misallocated personnel, and unnecessary delays that could impact operational effectiveness.”
Story by Sgt. 1st Class ShaTyra Reed-Cox
Joint Task Force Southern Guard