Army Reserve assesses support units for Southern Command

The U.S. Army Reserve is assessing whether six types of support formations could be made available to U.S. Southern Command within 90 to 120 days, an internal message reviewed by CBS News shows. The request is a force-availability check, not a deployment order or approval for military action. The message asks subordinate commands to determine whether the formations could be supplied and to respond to Army Reserve headquarters by September 25. It does not specify how many troops might be involved, where they would go or what mission they would support. The document does not mention Cuba. Multiple U.S. officials told CBS News that the request is part of continuing military planning focused on Cuba. That connection is based on the officials’ account; it is not stated in the Army message. The possible 90-to-120-day window concerns availability, not a confirmed deployment date. The formations under review include medical, military police, engineering and sustainment units.