Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Quarterly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security
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PSU 308 Crew Members Ready to Put Training into Action Monday, Jan. 5 was not only the start to another work week for Port Security Unit 308; it was the first day of their nine-month long deployment here at Joint Task Force Guantanamo. More than 70 new Coast Guardsmen disembarked from their plane and walked across the tarmac toward security, the excitement to start their deployment was evident. "I've been training really hard, and I'm here with a lot of great shipmates. I feel like we'll be able to carry out the mission just fine," said Petty Officer 3rd Class Jantz Sloane, boatswain mate. "We're all trained for this mission, and we all know what to do no matter the situation." PSU 308 will provide force protection for the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, in and around the harbor, and assist with the JTF mission. "We're definitely looking forward to participating and being a part of the community here, and a part of the joint mission, even the Naval Station mission," said Cmdr. Ronzelle Green, commanding officer. "We want to integrate with most of the forces here, and be a positive influence and still get the mission complete. We want to be considered a part of the community." For some of PSU 308 this is not their first time here, Green and Master Chief Petty Officer Kenneth King, the senior enlisted leader for PSU 308, both deployed here for six months in 2002 with PSU 305. "Everything looks the same except a couple of things; it's still the same joint mission – the mission has just expanded," Green said. PSU 308 is a Reserve unit based in Kiln, Mississippi, that has been around since 1998, with previous deployments to Guantanamo Bay in 2008 and Kuwait in 2010. Many of its members are from the surrounding cities, some even travel from a different state to drill each month, while others haven't ever ventured this far from home. Green said this is the first time a lot of them have deployed. "I've never deployed before. I wasn't qualified for the unit's last deployment to Kuwait," Sloane said. "I was really excited when I found out that we were going to Guantanamo. I've worked the last four years to make sure that I would be qualified for this deployment." Petty Officer 3rd Class Emmanuel Washington, machinery technician, said this is not his first time away from home, but he's glad to be here with his shipmates. After months of preparation, PSU 308 is finally here and ready to make their place in the community. "I think things are going to go great here. Folks are finally starting to settle in and figure out what's what and where's where. They really understand the mission. The biggest thing is understanding this joint community environment and how we can really be a part of it," Green said. — Story and photos by Army Spc. Amber Bohlman, Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay -PAO, Staff Writer BM3 Kenneth Wallace, MK3 Matthew Connell, and MK3 Patrick Remson, descend the airplane after landing in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Jan. 5. These Coast Guardsmen are members of PSU 308 that will be relieving PSU 312 the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Maritime Security detachment (MARSeCdeT), January 15, 2015. Cmdr. Ronzelle L. Green (PSU 308) relieves Cmdr. Tiffany danko (PSU 312) as Commanding Offcer of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Maritime Security detachment (MARSeCdeT), January 15, 2015. The MARSeCdeT is responsible for Maritime Force Protection in support of U.S. Southern Command. Issue 2 • 2015 � RESERVIST 13