Federal health workers quit over Guantánamo Bay deployments
Federal public health workers resign rather than accept mandatory Guantánamo Bay assignments, creating staffing shortages that could affect South Florida emergency response.
The resignations stem from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps requiring officers to serve rotations at the Cuban naval base, where 30 detainees remain held without trial more than two decades after 9/11. Multiple officers have chosen to leave their careers rather than participate in operations at the facility.
The exodus affects a range of health professionals, including doctors, nurses, and epidemiologists who typically work on disease prevention and emergency response across the United States. Many joined the service to address public health challenges in underserved communities, not to support military detention operations.
“These are people who signed up to help with hurricane response, opioid epidemics, and disease outbreaks,” said one former officer who requested anonymity. “Being forced to work at Guantánamo wasn’t part of that mission.”
The staffing crisis comes as South Florida continues to face significant public health challenges. Miami-Dade County has struggled with physician shortages in underserved areas like Liberty City and Little Haiti, where federal health service officers often fill critical gaps.
Jackson Memorial Hospital and other local institutions have relied on Public Health Service officers to staff emergency response teams during hurricanes and disease outbreaks. The loss of experienced personnel could affect the region’s ability to respond to future health emergencies.
The Pentagon requires medical staff at Guantánamo to provide care for both detainees and military personnel at the base. However, human rights organizations have criticized the facility’s medical operations, citing ethical concerns about treating prisoners who may have been tortured.
Public Health Service leadership has defended the assignments as necessary military support, but the policy has created tensions within the traditionally civilian-focused agency. Officers typically join expecting to work on domestic health programs, not overseas military operations.
The resignations represent a significant financial loss, as training each commissioned officer costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Replacing experienced personnel takes years and diverts resources from ongoing health programs.
Congress has yet to address the staffing crisis or provide alternative solutions for medical coverage at Guantánamo Bay.