Supporting detainee operations in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Navy Supply Corps Newsletter, Nov-Dec, 2002 by T.C. Dowden

In every operation, there are multiple phases of support, including mobilization, surge, and sustainment. The initial phase of mobilization for detainee operations was a wake-up call to this sleepy base in the Caribbean. The surge of materials was demanding to the existing supply/logistics chain, and now GTMO has settled into sustainment operations for Joint Task Force 160/170, The base has absorbed the two joint task forces into our day-to-day operations, and has become the FISC/GTMO Supply Department's largest tenant command.

Since February 2002, the number of detainees has grown to 604, which equates to 1,208 meals provided daily from the Seaside Galley. The combined JTF head count has correspondingly increased to over 1,500 personnel. As each new phase of the detainee camp is completed, there is a corresponding growth of both detainees and the guard and security force.

The most unique feature of the detainee mission continues to be the Halal feeding requirements, which is very similar to Kosher requirements. This requires separate cooking areas that do not commingle the Halal foods with the non-Halal, or Haram, foods prepared for the Soldiers and Sailors.

There are now three active galleys on GTMO: Seaside galley--feeding 2,900 meals daily, Salabarria Hall--feeding 130 meals daily, and Quick Hall--feeding 950 meals daily. We no longer have to feed on site in Camp X-Ray, but continue to feed both guards and detainees in Camp Delta, so some field messing is still required.

The Seaside kitchen has been converted from a field messing kitchen into a garrison-feeding facility by adding a semi-permanent tension fabric structure, or TFS, with a serving line, seating, and other amenities. An additional TFS will be added in the coming phase of the camp construction, as well as 3,200 square feet of permanent reefer space and air conditioning.

Provision support to the galleys has stabilized, as is normal in sustainment. We have seen an increase in provisions sales to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department who purchase from the FISC Detachment for all of the base restaurants.

Barge operations have increased in volume, if not frequency, to support the near doubling of the base's overall population. Our base barge, which is the only means of bulk supply transportation onto GTMO, has grown from an average of 45 forty-foot containers per trip, to over 100 containers per barge. The Supply Warehousing operations have increased tempo to meet the requirements, which is contracted out.

All areas of the FISC/Supply Department have increased in both scope and complexity during the past seven months, and the challenges have been many. The dedicated combined staff of the FISC Jacksonville GTMO Detachment and the Naval Station Supply Department has risen to meet the challenges of doing supply/logistics in a very remote site!

CDR T. C. Dowden's previous stations include the assistant supply officer, USS Charles F. Adams (DDG 2); supply services officer Navy Education and Training Center Newport; supply officer USS Alamo (LSD 33); supply officer, Naval Recruiting Area 4; supply officer, Fleet Hospital Support Office; logistics officer, Military Sealift Command Pacific; supply officer, Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit 104; logistics officer, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Korea; and executive operations officer for Resource Management Defense Finance and Accounting Service Headquarters.