Page 81 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2023 - Online Magazine
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navy
operation endurinG
freedoM
illegals who had exhausted every
option. That job proved to be not
only frustrating, but dangerous.
His team was constantly hounded
by foreign nationals digging
for information. “Spies,” Greg
confirmed.
Greg retired from the Reserves in
2010 as a Chief Petty Officer (E7)
and from ICE in 2015. He and
Tracy moved back to Colorado to
experience civilian life. A job with
a security company in the Denver
metro area quickly turned into
enormous responsibility. He found
himself in charge of a large federal
October 2021, he received one-year Presidential contract and in highly stressful situations again. After
Recall Orders in support of Operation Enduring three years, he retired for good, and he and Tracy
Freedom and was shipped to Bahrain, assigned to moved to Lubbock to be near his mother. The Hub
Naval Special Warfare Unit 3. Next, he was forward City is growing on the well-traveled couple, and Greg
deployed to Combined Special Operations Task now has time to do something he loves—serving
Force – South, Masirah Oman and later to Task Force in the Regional Honor Guard, comprised of the
K-BAR (Coalition Forces) Forward Operating Base VFW, the American Legion, the Disabled American
Kandahar. He was not able to tell Tracy where he was Veterans, and the Order of the Purple Heart,
until he returned to San Diego. performing funeral honors and other special events.
Upon discharge from active duty, in December VFW Commander Dan Rich says, “Greg makes us
2002, the Border Patrol transferred him to upstate look good.”
NY, and the Reserves assigned him to DIA (Defense Earning his submariner “Dolphins” was one of
Intelligence Agency). In 2006, he was selected as Intel the hardest things Greg Hartfield ever did, but it
Supervisor for the El Centro Border Patrol Sector in launched a career that is worthy of the claims on the
California. During this time, Greg worked jointly USNR website. And CPO Hartfield can be proud of
with local law enforcement, High Intensity Drug the undeniable purpose and uncommon course in
Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) and the FBI task forces. which he has served his country.
The Navy Reserves assigned Greg to United States
Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT)
Counter Narcotics Operations.
In 2007, Greg was picked up by ICE (Immigration
and Customs Enforcement) as a Deportation
Officer in the LA field office. The process of
following thousands of illegal immigrants from
start to finish, through detention facilities, jails,
the court system, and consulates, was extremely
complicated and very frustrating. After four years,
he was chosen to go to ICE Headquarters in DC as
a National Program Manager and Embassy Liaison
Officer. He was responsible for final removal of
Lubbock Senior Link 81
