Story & photos by Lt. Larry Siegle, PSU 312
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Four days later, PSU 312 relieved PSU 305, based in Fort Eustis, Va., which has been providing port security and harbor defense in GITMO in support of Operation Enduring Freedom since December 2005.
Coast Guard port security units are deployable units organized for sustained operations. They can deploy within 96 hours and establish operations within 24 hours. They provide waterside protection to key assets such as pier areas and harbor entrances at the termination/origination point of the sea lines of communications. PSU's may operate in U.S. territorial waters under the direction of a Coast Guard or Maritime Defense Zone (MDZ) command or in foreign waters within the naval coastal warfare command structure.
Each PSU has six fast and maneuverable transportable 25-foot Boston whalers outfitted with two 175 horsepower outboard engines. The PSU has a large suite of weapons. Each unit is outfitted with spare material, trucks and vans, boat trailers, transportable kitchens, tents, and Department of Defense-compatible radios. They maintain an inventory of equipment and spare parts to sustain operations for up to 30 days. Ongoing logistics support provides routine replenishment. All personnel have required individual gear for field operations.
Each PSU is staffed by 140 reservists and six active duty personnel. Personnel prepare for contingency operations during weekend drills and normally participate in either an exercise or specialized training during two weeks of annual active duty.
PSU 312, the Coast Guard's newest port security unit, is assigned to the Pacific Area. When activated, it operates under the
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| Detachment personnel disembark a Navy "U" boat after crossing over from the Leeward side. Photo by Lt. Larry Siegle. |
PSU 312 received its deployment order for GITMO in February. Key members immediately started planning, recalling members, arranging for berthing, and training the members selected for this particular mission. Even before reporting, the planners spent many hours preparing for this mission, in addition to still working at their civilian jobs.
The first members of PSU 312 arrived at Coast Guard Island April 17, some from as far away as Washington state and Oregon. Along with the detachment's commanding officer, executive officer, operations officer, and boat crewmen, volunteers for this large component included shore side security and support personnel.
The detachment immediately began preparing for the upcoming mission. Every day started early with physical fitness. The first week was spent performing mobilization in-processing, conducting online courses required for entry into the area of operation, and completing paperwork. The second and third weeks were spent in Coast Guard boat crewman and boat engineering courses.
Along with activities on Coast Guard Island, an advanced party traveled to GITMO and spent five days learning as much as possible about the environment and the mission that the detachment would be expected to perform. With the information gained by the advanced party, and based on environmental conditions in Cuba, the team recommended that the detachment members hold physical fitness training twice daily.
The second group of PSU 312 personnel arrived for training on Coast Guard Island May 15. These members had to perform the same mobilization in-processing, online courses, and other training quickly to integrate with the main body, but within a very short period of time. The training for everyone shifted to advance waterside tactics and boat seamanship.
"It was very beneficial to go through this mobilization and deployment preparation," said CWO Keith Selthofer, the detachment's operations officer. "We were commissioned less than a year ago, but this preparation provided an opportunity to test and refine the systems and processes the Coast Guard and the PSU put in place to ensure that we could meet the 96-hour recall and deployment requirements."
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| Detachment members on a unit run during the ramp up phase of the deployment. |
PSU 312's 146 members are comprised of 12 officers and 134 enlisted. Members were drawn from 32 units representing the entire continental Pacific coast. The record journey belongs to OS1 Darren Erickson, who traveled 1,207 miles from Fort Collins, Colo., for every drill weekend. Unit members span the entire continuum of age and experience. The youngest member is 18 years old and the oldest member is 58 years old. The average age is 33.
"I'm very glad to be a part of this mission because it's my first deployment and I'm finally getting a chance to do the job that I've been training to do," said Seaman Joshua Pool.
Other port security units around the country are located in Cape Cod, Mass.; Fort Eustis, Va.; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Gulfport, Miss.; Port Clinton, Ohio; San Pedro, Calif.; San Francisco; and Tacoma, Wash.
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