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By Petty Officer Cheryl DIlgard
Joint Task Force Guantanamo Public Affairs
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba – The Global War on Terror is not only fought on the fields of battle, but also fought in the hearts and minds of many on a daily basis. The Joint Visitors Bureau, a directorate within Joint Task Force Guantanamo, is an active participant in how this war is perceived in the public's mind.
Many people have wrong perceptions of what is going on in Guantanamo. When they think of Guantanamo Bay and the detention facilities there, the first thing that comes to their mind is allegations from critics about mistreatment of detainees. The JVB fights these inaccurate perceptions by openly showing people the great efforts of the troopers to provide safe and humane care and custody of the detainees.
"The JVB supports the command in communicating with the outside world about Guantanamo. The most direct way to show the outside world what's going on at Guantanamo is to have them come to Guantanamo and see for themselves. When visitors come here and visit the detention camps, almost every visitor tells us about the disconnect between what they read or hear in the media and what they see here with their own eyes.
"Our visitors see firsthand Gitmo's modern, climate controlled detention facilities. They also observe for themselves the competent and professional demeanor of our guard force," Army Lt. Col. Joe Romero, director of the JVB, "While the JVB section certainly keeps busy, what we do pales in comparison to the work of the guard force. Those guys walk the blocks 12 hours every day and have to deal with constant harassment and threats from many of the detainees."
The job of the JVB is to coordinate distinguished visitors' trips to Guantanamo. This involves setting up tours of the base and JTF detention facility, scheduling informational briefings by senior leadership, and responding to specific areas of interest based on visitors' requests. The JVB is a flexible group that is able to adapt schedules and coordinate with multiple departments within minutes. They often run into weather, mechanical, and other delays that are often unforeseeable.
"Our job is to make the trips flow flawlessly, regardless of all the hiccups along the way. Things rarely go as planned," said Staff Sgt. Drew Neal, the non-commissioned officer in charge of JVB.
In February, the highest ranking official to come to JTF this year, U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey, visited Guantanamo. His visit was an example of how the JVB worked to make a trip full of unexpected delays flow flawlessly. Mukasey had to change planes four times prior to landing and the JVB smoothly adapted to the schedule, coordinating with all involved parties to make Mukasey's visit seamless.
"One of our biggest accomplishments was the seemingly flawless trip of the United States attorney general," said Neal.
Three enlisted soldiers and two officers from the New Mexico Army National Guard comprise the JVB. The five-person directorate assumed their positions with the JTF late January and quickly adapted to the unusual and long hours their job demands.
"When a DV comes, regardless of the day or time, everyone has to put their daily activities on hold to make themselves available for the DV; this is from the top down. Even Rear Adm. Buzby (the JTF commander) will adapt his schedule to meet the needs of the DVs. It is that important," said Romero.
The JVB's efforts are critically linked to the phrase "truth and troopers," which is often heard from the commander and deputy commander of JTF Guantanamo. Letting visitors see for themselves what is going down in Guantanamo and how troopers are cared for are vital functions of the JVB mission.
"When a DV comes the JVB works with every department within the JTF to coordinate a successful and smooth visit. Representatives from every department including the FBI, Joint Interrogation Group, the Joint Detention Group and the medical department and others all participate in the informational briefings and are available to answer questions. We also have to coordinate with the galleys, the Coast Guard, and the detention centers for tours." Lt. Col. Romero continued, "I have been on a lot of DV visits now and every time when the DV gets ready to leave Rear Adm. Buzby always says the same thing 'Just tell people what you saw and what's really going on here.'"
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2008 09:43 |
| Story ID: | 18270 |
| Location: |
| Web Views: | 762 |
| Downloads: | 228 |
This work, Joint Visitors Bureau Fights Public Misperceptions, by PO2 Cheryl Dilgard, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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