Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba –
Nobody wants an outsider coming in and stirring the pot, adding their two cents, or giving advice. While most sections prefer to keep their turf untouched, there’s one team of subject matter experts that everyone wants all in their operational Kool-Aid: the logisticians of Joint Task Force Southern Guard (JTF-SG) J4.
Without them, nothing moves, nothing gets stocked, and nobody gets what they need. The JTF-SG logistics and sustainment professionals are the driving force behind ensuring troops stay equipped, operations remain fluid, and the mission never slows down.
“It’s simple: if the J4 stops, the mission stops because nothing happens without sustainment,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Johanny Ortega, the J4 sergeant major.
J4 provides everything from strategic mobility and supply distribution to future operations planning and contract management, all in support of Department of Homeland Security-led migrant operations.
What makes this logistics operation unique is that JTF-SG J4 functions as a fully integrated joint logistics cell with representatives from U.S. Army South, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet, U.S. Air Force Southern Command, and a civilian logistics representative working in sync to sustain operations.
“We are the social butterflies of the operation, ensuring we know the capabilities in the area by getting to know people and allowing people to get to know us,” Ortega explained. “To gain and sustain support, we build rapport and relationships with agencies and people that are part of the sustainment enterprise where we operate.”
This synchronization allows JTF-SG to quickly adapt to evolving mission requirements, ensuring that personnel, supplies, and equipment are delivered efficiently. Nowhere is this collaboration more evident than within the Operational Contract Support Integration Cell.
“Through the OCSIC, we shape the sustainment strategy for the entire task force,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cdr. Cecily Ripley, JOB. “Our ability to work across service lines means we can quickly adapt to mission demands and keep operations moving without interruption.”
As one of the most critical components of J4, the OCSIC and their combined expertise is responsible for overseeing all contracted logistics support, which includes food, fuel, and maintenance, base life support services such as sanitation and power generation, and coordination with private vendors for specialized mission needs.
“Contracting is critical to this mission. The OCSIC team is fully integrated into operations, coordinate with the JTF staff, and provides oversight to ensure that contracting activities align with mission requirements,” U.S Air Force Master Sgt. Gregory Hovland, the OCSIC plans and operations noncommissioned officer, described.
By eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks and integrating contracting efforts across all service branches, OCSIC provides seamless support to JTF-SG operations.
“Our team is truly a joint formation with the chief from USARSOUTH, the current operations from USNAVSOUTH/FOURTHFLT, and plans from AFSOUTH. We ensure that contracts are fiscally responsible and resilient enough to sustain the taskforce,” Hovland elaborated.
This level of planning and coordination is critical to keeping supplies mobile, and the J4’s mobility section is responsible for ensuring that personnel, cargo, or equipment moves efficiently to and from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB).
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jose Espinosa, JTF-SG mobility officer, oversees every aspect of strategic transportation, tracking force flow, ensuring flights and vessels arrive on time, and coordinating ground transportation for incoming supplies.
“I oversee everything from the moment cargo is picked up, transported, offloaded, and moved to its final destination,” Espinosa said.
Managing force movement requires precision, as every delay or misstep impacts the overall sustainment effort. Espinosa coordinates air and sea transportation, executes ground transportation planning across the installation, and facilitates joint reception, staging, onward movement, and integration. Without his efforts, moving personnel and mission-essential equipment would be significantly delayed, impacting JTF-SG’s ability to maintain operational effectiveness.
“People think I’m some sort of travel agent,” Espinosa laughed. “But in reality, I coordinate strategic transportation for all deployed assets at JTF-SG. If it moves, I make sure it moves the right way.”
While mobility ensures that personnel and equipment arrive where they are needed, J4’s supply section guarantees that those assets remain fully operational. The supply team is responsible for managing the distribution of fuel, rations, water, and equipment across the task force. Their efforts ensure that every unit within JTF-SG has the materials needed to sustain operations is a continuous process, requiring accurate forecasting and careful inventory management.
“We have leaned on our partners across NSGB to quickly stand up this support operation with the challenge being how to maintain a flexible sustainment posture in a dynamic situation with a fluid end state, all while operating in a fiscally constrained environment,” said U.S. Army Maj. David Perez, the deputy J4 and logistics planner.
The ability to quickly adjust to changing operational demands is essential in a dynamic mission environment. Supply operations are critical to sustaining JTF-SG, but long-term mission success depends on the ability to plan ahead. This is where J4’s CUOPS and future operations teams come into play.
J4 is divided into CUOPS and FUOPS to ensure both immediate sustainment needs and long-term logistics planning are accounted for.
“It may sound tedious or pedantic, but we keep two or three plans in our back pocket because if we don’t plan ahead, we risk supply shortages or transportation headaches,” said U.S. Army Master Sgt. George Barker, the J4 logistics and accountability noncommissioned officer.
The CUOPS team manages daily sustainment operations, including transportation, supply distribution, and equipment accountability. Meanwhile, the FUOPS team looks weeks and months ahead, identifying potential challenges and developing strategies to mitigate them before they impact operations.
“But there’s more, in a joint task force, logistics coordination with sister services is what enables the JTF commander to execute the mission,” Barker continued. “We direct the joint logistics element to ensure that operational units are fully equipped, sustained, and mission ready.”
To maintain readiness, J4 must not only ensure resources are available but also keep strict accountability of all military equipment and assets. The equipment accountability team is responsible for managing inventory tracking, ensuring compliance with property accountability regulations, and overseeing the return process for issued supplies.
“The Southern Guard mission was rapid. So, we knew we had to put our arms around accountability right away,” said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Samuel Adeyemi. “Thankfully, because of the relationships we built, it was easy to work alongside sister units and other service components, reconcile and account for equipment.”
Bringing together mobility, supply, sustainment, planning, and contracting, J4 remains the foundation of logistical operations at JTF-SG. With representatives from three of the four service components under U.S. Southern Command, J4 provides a full-picture view of combatant command logistics operations.
“We exemplify precision, coordination, and unwavering commitment,” Adeyemi said. “These hallmarks drive our collective success and ensure mission achievement.”
This level of integration ensures that sustainment efforts are coordinated at every level, allowing JTF-SG to operate as a unified force.
“There is never a dull moment at the J4,” said U.S Army Lt. Col. Jeremy Coates, JTF-SG J4 director. “We are like transformers, the Army, Air Force, and Navy (very soon the Marines as well) minds come together and we make sustainment happen.”