Macario Mora

“ The JDG service members come from all walks of life. But, regardless if they’re from the Hispanic, machismo neighborhoods of California, the suburbs of Pennsylvania or the fields of the Midwest; their common purpose of service, despite operating under the microscope of the international community, weaves a tightly knit society of professional Soldiers who are honor bound and determined to carry out their mission. ”

“ There’s no time to take away. All we can do is keep them occupied in something productive that doesn’t involve tormenting the guards or figuring out ways to hurt the guards. Incentives for good behavior are slim here.”
Heath said it’s the detainees’ lack of sentence that really makes them different from state and federal inmates. But, despite the differences, the professionalism in the Soldiers’ day-to-day interactions with detainees is evident when leadership speaks about the guard force. ”

“ Back home we do rehabilitation. We try to teach those inmates ways to cope with stress, financial issues, give them a skill, so that when they’re released they can be a carpenter, mechanic etc. They have a set date that comes, and they’re gone.”
The OIC explained that the detainees here are given general programs to keep them occupied, but nothing specific. The JDG is keeping detainees engaged until the courts decide what to do with them. The sustainment mission aligns with Heath’s second difference between the JDG and corrections in the United States – the legal status of the detainees. ”