DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

HEADQUARTERS, JOINT TASK FORCE GUANTANAMO 

APO AE 09522-9998 

JTF-GTMO-CDR 13 July 2023 

MEMORANDUM FOR All Personnel Assigned to and/or Visiting Joint Task ForceGuantanamo (JTF-GTMO) 

SUBJECT: Standing Order for Access to Detainees – Effective 13 July 2023 

1. To mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission to the detainee population and ensure 

the health and welfare of all JTF-GTMO personnel, the following protocols are hereby 

implemented for all visitors entering designated detention facilities and all detaineevisitor meetings, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and 

legal meetings: 

a. All visitors into designated detention facilities must have a compelling and 

justified reason for access. 

b. All visitors to JTF-GTMO who enter designated detention facilities or who may 

have contact with a detainee, must receive a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival to 

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB). 

(1) The Office of Military Commissions has agreed to assist in identifying those 

individuals who require testing based on their Commissions involvement and/or 

detainee interaction - including those individuals in Military Commissions Defense and 

Prosecution. 

(2) Tests will be administered by JTF-GTMO Preventative Medicine (PREVMED) 

or the Kittery Beach Aid Station (KBAS). JTF-GTMO Preventative Medicine may 

promulgate such further rules as necessary to effectuate these testing and isolation 

procedures. 

(3) Individuals who have tested positive within 90 days prior to being tested by 

JTF- GTMO PREVMED are exempt from this testing requirement provided they produce 

a letter from their licensed health care provider showing that they tested positive for 

COVID-19 within this 90 day window, more than 10 days have elapsed from the date of 

that positive test, and meet the other requirements specified herein. 

c. Notwithstanding the above testing requirement, any visitor to JTF-GTMO - 

including those involved in Military Commissions -who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms or 

who request COVID-19 testing, will be tested by JTF-GTMO PREVMED or KBAS. 

Testing times and procedures will be promulgated by JTF-GTMO. 
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d. N95 facemasks must be worn by visitors during all meetings when greater than 6 

feet of separation cannot be, or is not, maintained. Facemasks must be worn over both 

the nose and mouth. Masks may be removed when actively eating or drinking but must 

immediately be replaced. 

e. Physical contact with detainees is prohibited. Transfer of approved items (legal 

papers, writing utensils, food, etc.) is authorized in accordance with applicable Standard 

Operating Procedures. 

f. Visitors must either wash their hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 

seconds or sanitize their hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately before 

entering and immediately after exiting the meeting room as directed by the JTF-GTMO 

staff. 

g. Rooms will be sanitized by JTF-GTMO staff before the start of each meeting with 

standard disinfectant cloths - to include cleaning of the door handles, tables, chairs, 

pens, light switch if applicable, and any other high-touch areas in the room. 

h. JTF staff will ensure that the air conditioner is in the "ON" position and not the 

"AUTO" position at all times when detainee is in the meeting room. 

i. Any individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 will not interact with a 

detainee until after 10 days from the date of their positive COVID-19 test result. After 

this period, individuals must be symptom free before detainee interaction. Residually 

symptomatic individuals require JTF- GTMO PREVMED approval prior to detainee 

interaction. 

j. Any individual who is considered a close contact by JTF-GTMO PREVMED will 

not interact with a detainee until five days after date of exposure and a negative test 

administered at or after five days from exposure. Close contacts will wear a mask at all 

times while in detention/detainee areas - including meeting rooms and even greater 

than six feet of separation can be or is maintained - for an additional five days after their 

negative test. 

k. No individual, regardless of any negative test result, will interact with a detainee 

while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (fever, body aches, vomiting, etc.) 

l. If any detainee within a camp tests positive, the rest of the detainees within that 

camp will be tested. Testing will be done daily for 5 days. 

m. Meetings with, and non-emergency movement of, detainees who test positive 

are prohibited until ten days post detainee’s positive COVID-19 test date. 

n. Meetings with, and non-emergency movement of, detainees who refuse COVID19 testing are prohibited until either: 
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(1) All detainees within the camp have completed their ten day movement 

restricted period referenced in section (m) above; or 

(2) The detainee has consented to a COVID-19 test and tested negative. 

p. The JTF-GTMO Commander may, at his discretion, institute additional health and 

safety prevention measures in addition to those herein to further mitigate the risk of 

COVID-19 transmission to the detainee population or JTF-GTMO personnel. 

2. This order supersedes JTF-GTMO-CJTF MEMORANDUM FOR ALL personnel 

assigned to and/or visiting Joint Task Force Guantanamo, dated 6 April 2023 and is in 

effect until modified or rescinded. 

3. The point of contact for this memorandum is the Litigation Support Section at 

southcom.gtmo.jtf-gtmo-sja.mbx.lss@mail.mil. 

MATTHEW J. JEMMOTT 

COL, MP 

Commanding