CBS News has reviewed an internal Army message showing that the U.S. Army Reserve is weighing whether it can supply the military’s Southern Command with police forces, medical personnel and other support units within the next four months. Multiple U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity said the request involves ongoing military planning directed at Cuba.
The document contains no sign that any units have been given deployment instructions. Instead, it states that Army Reserve headquarters is asking subordinate commands for input on the potential availability of six kinds of formations that would come under the authority of U.S. Southern Command. The message instructs commands to send their feedback to Army Reserve headquarters by Sept. 25, with the units themselves “possibly [be] needed in 90-120 days,”.
The Units Being Sought
The document lists several units for consideration: a combat sustainment support battalion that handles logistics coordination, an engineer battalion, an expeditionary sustainment command that manages logistics across a theater of operations, a medical brigade that oversees medical units, a forward resuscitative and surgical detachment that offers emergency surgery and trauma care, and a military police brigade. It does not say how many troops would be needed in the Southern Command’s region, which includes Central and South America and the Caribbean, nor does it name where the forces could be posted or what operation they would back up.
Southern Command’s Response
The U.S. Southern Command refused to say whether any deployment plans exist at all. Instead, it stated that it will not comment on possible operations or deployment timelines, pointing to worries about keeping military matters secret.
Reconnaissance Operations
This year, American troops carried out reconnaissance work on the ocean floor and near the water around the Cuban island, according to several U.S. military service members who spoke with CBS News.
CBS News reported in July that American military planners had looked at a variety of choices for possible action against the island, among them an Army-led air assault that would bring thousands of U.S. soldiers into play through the 101st Airborne Division. U.S. officials made clear at the time that these briefings did not mean the president or the Pentagon had settled on carrying out an operation.
The Donroe Doctrine
After returning to office, President Trump has pushed for a stronger U.S. presence in the Western Hemisphere, which officials now call the “Donroe Doctrine,” a version of the Monroe Doctrine made for his own time.
Narco-Terrorism in Ecuador
In April, U.S. and Ecuadorian forces began an operation targeting a suspected criminal base run by a narco-terrorist group. On Thursday, U.S. soldiers and DEA agents helped Ecuadorian officials arrest more than 30 people tied to Mexico’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Strikes in the Caribbean
The United States military has killed over 230 people through 70 strikes carried out since September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Sanctions on Cuba
The Trump administration placed sanctions on Cuban entities and officials, targeting military research and development enterprises linked to the country’s nickel industry, before the U.N. General Assembly.
Trump’s Speech at the U.N.
At the U.N. General Assembly, Mr. Trump told the assembly his administration was seeking a “fundamental change” on the island and predicted Cuba’s communist government “will fall,” declaring that “freedom will be coming to Cuba.” The Cuban delegation walked out during his remarks. Mr. Trump also said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was “deep into negotiations” with Havana and vowed the U.S. would not allow foreign adversaries to establish a foothold “on our own doorstep.”
What Comes Next
Army Reserve commands must answer by Sept. 25 on whether these six types of units can be made available within the next four months. The planning is still underway, though a final decision on deployment has yet to be reached.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Army Reserve feedback due | Sept. 25 |
| Reconnaissance operations on Cuban seafloor | Earlier this year |
| Air assault option studied | July |
| Joint mission in Ecuador | April |
| Strikes since September | Ongoing |
The U.S. military is laying groundwork for potential action around Cuba.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs keeping the channels open for diplomacy toward Cuba and is against sending armed forces into the region without clear diplomatic grounds. The Army Reserve’s planning, however described, remains just that: planning. The paper supports the deal over the standoff, and there is no evidence here that the standoff has turned into a fight.
The document shows requests for support units, not orders to deploy. That distinction matters. The paper wants the door kept open for diplomacy, not closed by force.
The reader should watch for signs that the planning moves closer to action, and for any escalation beyond reconnaissance and naval strikes. The paper’s position is fixed: focus at home, keep the channels open, and avoid sending armed forces into the region without clear diplomatic grounds.
Source material: “U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around Cuba,” CBS News.
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