2013 JTF Stories

GTMO Fit Competition

Service members and civilians throughout the Naval Station Guantanamo Bay community showed up Saturday to view the 2nd annual Mr. & Ms. GTMO Figure & Fitness competition. Lots of cheers and various other displays of appreciation echoed through the Windjammer Ballroom as the competitors showed their best assets.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Farewell Sgt. Maj. Smith

As Marine Sgt. Maj. Scott Smith prepared last week to step down as Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s senior enlisted leader and end a 31-year career in the Marine Corps, he said his greatest accomplishment here was not one of his own but one for all of the Troopers. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Women's Retreat

Uncommon. Merriam-Webster defines uncommon as not ordinarily encountered, unusual, remarkable, or exceptional. Some treat being uncommon as a bad thing. Others treat it as a desired thing. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay saw an uncommon occurrence at the base chapel on May 9 and 10 - a women’s retreat. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Relief and Appointment Ceremony

As Marine Sgt. Maj. Scott Smith prepared last week to step down as Joint Task Force Guantanamo’s senior enlisted leader and end a 31-year career in the Marine Corps, he said his greatest accomplishment here was not one of his own but one for all of the Troopers.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Troops plan for the future

Adaptability is a defining factor of the U.S. military, no matter what service. Troopers can adapt to changing environments, standards, and stations. Change can be difficult for some Troopers, but they overcome it. One of the hardest changes can be transitioning to civilian life after leaving the military.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Meet the 128th MP Company

To those who travel across Naval Station Guantanamo Bay every morning and pass through Access Control Point Roosevelt, the faces of the 128th Military Police Company have become familiar.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Open

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay held the GTMO Open Golf Tournament at the Lateral Hazard Golf Course Saturday and Sunday. The participants were charged a $35 participation fee for two rounds of golf, a cart rental for both days, a gift bag, and free range balls each morning. READ MOREBookmark and Share

525th MP Battalion non-lethal weapons training

The first part of the training began just as the Sun was rising, as usual for those in the Army, with an extensive unarmed self-defense class that would put each Soldier into the roles of detention officers as well as detainees.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Live on air!

Raiders, Cardinals, and Bears oh my! Just a few of the teams mentioned on the Sports Byline USA radio show that broadcasted live from Naval Station Guantanamo Bay this week. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Visiting chaplain celebrates Orthodox Holy Week with GTMO followers

Followers of the Eastern Orthodox faith at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay celebrated the Orthodox Holy Week this week with the help of an Orthodox chaplain brought to the island just for the occasion.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Spending a Day at the Bay...GTMO Style!

Fun under the sun was the motto for the third annual Day at the Bay festivities held on Saturday at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The event was held at the ferry landing area and began at 4 p.m. as food vendors, provided by different military commands and other GTMO orginizations, fired up their grills and brought out their sweets to woo the crowd. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO committee remembers Holocaust, spreads awareness

When it comes to remembering the Holocaust – the period during World War II in which more than six million Jews and people of other backgrounds were executed by the Nazi regime – it is important not to just honor the victims but also to spread awareness so another such tragedy never happens again. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Army Ball Commitee auctions pieces of home

What would you give to be home right now? Some Troopers would give a lot to be home, but how much would they give to have a piece of home here? Troopers of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay received the opportunity to purchase a piece of home, right here in GTMO. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates

We’re the first responders for victims of sexual assault, so if they choose to call us we go in and talk to them before anyone else does and let them know their options for reporting and help them through the process. READ MOREBookmark and Share

"Dirty Gringos" visit GTMO

Even before the Dirty Gringos landed at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and took the stage to deliver the roof-rattling rock ’n’ roll billed on a Morale, Welfare and Recreation flyer, Troopers here were already intrigued by the band because of its name.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Column: I can't say I can't.

I can’t say “I can’t.” That’s what I tell myself when I’m preparing for a daunting challenge, from my Army Physical Fitness Test (push-ups are my weak point) to the MWR 15K I ran last month. It’s what I tell others also – and encourage them to tell themselves – when they’re faced with a similar challenge, physical or mental. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO hosts first marathon

In a memorable scene in the 1992 film “A Few Good Men,” Marine Col. Nathan Jessup warns a military lawyer that she cannot make him nervous: “I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me.” READ MOREBookmark and Share

Something Distant - Getting to know the band: Q&A

Q: Who are all the members of the band? A: There’s myself the lead singer, Jeff Congo, and then you have our second vocalist, Ted Kypreps, our lead guitarist, Mike Long, our drummer, Tim Crawford and our Bass guitarist Mike Crowe.READ MOREBookmark and Share

How did the US acquire GTMO?

After Christopher Columbus’ discovered the America and European nations colonized much of the two continents, Spain controlled most of South America and the Caribbean islands. Cuba, especially held great value to the Spanish, and remained a Spanish colony for centuries.READ MOREBookmark and Share

MWR Holds Flag Football Tournament

Like a medieval battle, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay residents charged at one another Saturday during a Morale, Welfare, and Recreation flag football tournament. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Column: The Big Question

What is the big question? Well, a question itself tends to end on a literal high note and sometimes leaves people dumbfounded or inspired. So what is a “big question”? Will you marry me? Would you like that in one large lump sum? A big question is considered to have a huge effect on you or others. But I believe that all questions are big questions. Well, at least that’s the case when you ask the “right’ questions. READ MOREBookmark and Share

525th MP Battalion - Best Soldier Competition

While most of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay was still asleep on Monday, eight Joint Task Force Guantanamo Soldiers were being tested mentally and physically. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Veterans remember service at GTMO during Operation Sea Signal

Before Naval Station Guantanamo Bay became known for the detainees housed in its detention camps, its facilities became a temporary home to more than 60,000 Haitian and Cuban migrants trying to reach the United States.READ MOREBookmark and Share

March Madness at GTMO!

Some may say there are only a few sporting events that are more exciting than March Madness, the NCAA’s five-round basketball tournament in which the winner is crowned the national champion. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Puerto Rico National Guard departs GTMO

The Puerto Rico National Guard left Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Monday after a nine-month deployment at Joint Task Force Guantanamo in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. They provided many different support roles necessary to the base functions. READ MOREBookmark and Share

“A new day ... a new hope” GTMO Christians celebrate the miracle of Easter

A nearly full moon was still high in the sky over Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on Easter Sunday, as the morning light slowly began to shine. A piano played softly, while the waves gently crashed over the sand at Windmill Beach. A crowd gathered and whispered among themselves in anticipation of what was about to happen.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Gourmet: Bayview offers steak under the stars

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation may have felt some tightening of its budget recently, but it is still working hard to bring new things to GTMO. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO MWR Bring Troops Together With April Fools Softball

Nine teams went head to head in a double elimination all-night softball tournament. This wasn’t just any tournament though. It was a one-pitch game that had an April Fools theme.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO swimmers compete in one-mile swim

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation hosted a one-mile swim off at the Marine Hill Pool on Saturday. In order to complete one mile, swimmers had to complete 17.5 laps of the 50-yard-long pool, equaling 100 yards a lap. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Column: April Showers Bring May Flowers

The first week of April has come and gone, and we are almost halfway through the year. I can’t complain about much when it comes to my time here thus far at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, as it is a lot better compared to the last deployment I was on. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Comedy

From Los Angeles, Calif., to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, five fabulous comedians brought good vibes to the GTMO community on March 20, as they entertained the crowd with an awesome stand-up comedy show.READ MOREBookmark and Share

525 Soldiers win in the Bataan Death March

Earlier this month, several Soldiers from the 525th Military Police Battalion went to White Sands, N.M., to compete in the Bataan Death March. They represented their battalion and Naval Station Guantanamo Bay during the 26.2 mile ruck-march in commemoration of the Americans service members who were forced to march through the Philippines during World War II. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO bids farewell to head JTF chaplain, celebrates his success

The former Joint Task Force Guantanamo command chaplain, Navy Capt. Daniel Gard, said the only problem he had with his job during his nine-month tour was that the JTF chain of command was “always three steps ahead of me.”READ MOREBookmark and Share

Budget cuts restrain MWR’s ability to host events at GTMO

The sequestration hitting the federal government is also affecting how Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Morale, Welfare and Recreation can host concerts and events around the base. READ MOREBookmark and Share

New Trooper Chapel going up

A new Trooper Chapel is being built near the Camp Bulkeley Gym at Joint Task Force Guantanamo to replace the one that currently operates across from the Camp America Post Office.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Play Ball

Things heated up quick Saturday morning as the Softball Tournament got underway. Beginning at eight in the morning teams gathered to show off their best skills on the field and behind home plate as they stepped up to bat. READ MOREBookmark and Share

"This is Sparta"

The first time I watched “300,” I fell in love with the passion of war, that or the overall theatrics of the film, to include the sprayed-on abdominal muscles that every shirtless person in the film seemed to have. Regardless of what specific details drew me in, I couldn’t deny the amount of motivation and energy I possessed throughout the movie. So why am I talking about “300?”READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO nursery offers volunteer opportunities

Many Troopers look for volunteering opportunities here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay for various reasons. What may surprise them to find out is that an opportunity to help out the community, learn a new trade, and be creative is literally just down the road.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Let the Good Times Roll

The spot to be this past Saturday night was the Windjammer Ballroom for the Dueling Pianos showcase featuring two piano players, Leon Sarao and Elwood Stone. There was a great atmosphere as many people came out dressed in green and with plenty if St. Patrick’s Day spirit. The ballroom was full of decorations and dun items for the audience to enjoy, including top hats and horns. Not many people were aware of what a Dueling Piano show was, but as the night took off, many people seemed to please with the performance.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Ready, Set, FIRE

The Coast Guardsman looked down the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight of his Remington M870 pump-action shotgun. The firing coach instructed him, “Two rounds, 10 seconds, plenty of time.” After firing buck shots, he switched to firing slug rounds. While shooting slug rounds he was instructed to fire “two standing, three kneeling, the last round is a combat-load.” READ MOREBookmark and Share

Dog Days of GTMO: Therapy dog gives Troopers the comfort of a cold, wet nose

If you’ve ever seen a statue of Buddha, he wears the same serene congenial smile all the time. He always looks calm and happy. Joint Task Force Guantanamo has its own Buddha-like being, a yellow Labrador Retriever named Austin. READ MOREBookmark and Share

BHO GTMO celebrates Black History Month with Black & Gold Ball

There are many reasons why people celebrate. Tasting freedom after being enslaved for nearly 300 years, obtaining civil rights from years of segregation, and achieving goals that were once not an option are more than enough reasons why African Americans celebrate. African American culture and accomplishments are celebrated nationwide throughout the month of February for Black History Month. READ MOREBookmark and Share

MP Receives BSA Medal of Merit

Saving a battle buddy in combat is something the Army trains Soldiers to do. Soldiers hope that they may never have to use it in any situation. For Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Kovatch, a member of the 428th Military Police Company, that training was essential to saving his son David’s life.READ MOREBookmark and Share

JTF Chaplain's Office saves Troopers, sponsors financial classes

The Joint Task Force Guantanamo Chaplain’s Office, here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, is currently sponsoring a financial education course within the JTF called the Financial Peace University.READ MOREBookmark and Share

The first face you see when you arrive... The last face you see when you leave

Their faces are the first faces you see when you first arrive at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, and their faces are the last faces you see when you leave GTMO after your tour at Joint Task Force Guantanamo is complete. They are the Troopers of the Joint Personnel Command.READ MOREBookmark and Share

NEGB Disestablishment

Almost a decade has passed since the Navy Expeditionary Guard Battalion was established to take responsibility of all detainees and camps at Joint Task Force Guantanamo. January 2004 brought what we now know as the NEGB, but all good things eventually must come to an end. The same holds true for the NEGB.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Triathalon

Troopers and civilians throughout Naval Station Guantanamo Bay competed in a triathlon sponsored by GTMO’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation staff on Saturday. The event included a 500-yard swim, followed by an 11-mile bike ride, finished with a 5k run. The competition did not have to be an individual one, as there was a separate bracket for teams of three to compete and share each leg of the event. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Trooper Focus

In the military, everyone has the opportunity to be a leader, whether they realize it or not. During World War II, thousands of Americans were forced to march through the Philippine jungle after surrendering to the Japanese. Hundreds died because of the harsh conditions, and hundreds of people now complete the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico every year to honor their sacrifice. That sacrifice demonstrated leadership, which helped inspire many people even today.READ MOREBookmark and Share

To Be Or Not To Be

As many may know or not know, March is Women’s History Month. A month that is dedicated to acknowledging the success and significance of all women and the roles we play in society. So, let’s talk about feminism. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Great, she’s getting ready to rant and rave about inequality and women’s rights.”READ MOREBookmark and Share

Basketball begins at Denich Gym

With a minute and seven seconds left in the game, the Borinqueneers, who were up by only four points, wanted desperately to seal the game. They threw the ball down court for an easy layup, followed by two free-throws due to a foul. It was just enough for the team to run out the clock with their next possession, and win their first game of the season with a final score of 40 – 31. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Inaugural Address

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama took the ceremonial oath of office for his second term as the 44th U.S. president and commander in chief on the steps of the U.S. Capitol today, honoring the men and women in uniform who have preserved America’s freedoms throughout its history.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Honors MLK

Uplifting songs of freedom were sung by Troopers, family members and civilians, as they marched alongside one another during a bright, sun-shining Monday morning here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.READ MOREBookmark and Share

A Day of Fishing

Just as the sun was creeping over the horizon on Saturday morning, unaccompanied Troopers gathered at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay’s marina for a day of free fishing. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Bataan Death March

On April 9, 1942, with World War II in full swing, tens of thousands of American and Filipino service members of all branches surrendered to the Japanese forces after attempting to defend the island of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor of the Philippines.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Cheerleaders Visit GTMO

It’s the long, hard days of practice during the week. It’s the game days spent pumping up the fans. It’s the spectacular moves on the field. It’s the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat. READ MOREBookmark and Share

After the Superbowl

After the Super Bowl, sports fans immediately turn to basketball, hockey and the upcoming baseball season, and they usually don’t give football a second thought until the fall. Football is absent from their lives this time of year.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Fresh BEEF with a new mission

When you come to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, you’ll hear many stories about the BEEF. Those stories aren’t about grilling hamburgers in the Cuzco’s even though the weather is sunny year-round or even about groups of people who are having problems with each other. The BEEF is an acronym for a group of highly trained Airmen who happen to be the backbone of Joint Task Force Guantanamo.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Laughs Out Loud

Laughing out loud or “LOL” became more then just a phrase this weekend as three very entertaining comedians took the stage providing an escape into laughter for troopers and families here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. READ MOREBookmark and Share

MWR Makes Waves

In the mid afternoon with pockets of rain and light wind, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Morale, Welfare and Recreation held a tubing trip for any troopers wanting to go out and have fun. READ MOREBookmark and Share

MP’s Induct Non-Commissioned Officers

In the somewhat secluded W.T. Sampson High School gymnasium at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, 35 newly promoted Army sergeants from five military police companies were inducted as noncommissioned officers on Jan. 9. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Ping-Pong Masters Show off Their Moves

The opponents competed with the ferocity of Forrest Gump against the Chinese, pinging and ponging at break-neck speeds. Troopers competed in a single-elimination ping pong tournament at the Camp America Liberty Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay Saturday. GTMO’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation hosted the event. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Fleet and Family Support Center Provides Tax Advice to GTMO Residents

No, not the holiday season. It is tax season. Tax season can be either stressful or something you look forward to, depending on how you view it. If you are expecting a large refund check, it can be exciting. If not it can be a real chore.READ MOREBookmark and Share

Rough Riders

Like cavalry readying for a charge, the 18 bikers participating in the second New Year’s Rockin Ridgeline Mountain Biking Race awaited the signal to begin their advance up the rocky slopes of Ridgeline Trail here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Arts and Crafts Shop Recovers from Sandy

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay survived Hurricane Sandy better than most of the areas that were hit, but that is not to say that the base was unscathed by it. Residents could find downed trees, damaged fences, and other marks of Sandy’s chaos. Places like the Camp Bulkley Lyceum sustained damage and have only recently been re-opened. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Columbia College

While deployed or on active duty, it can be easy for service members to delay the pursuit of a higher education. Here at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, however, there is a way to receive hands-on education, during off-hours to work towards earning a degree.READ MOREBookmark and Share

FBI Trains Soldiers

Once the line was cleared to fire, over a dozen rifles engaged the close-quarter targets with speed and precision. After five shots fired, the Soldiers put the weapon on safe and returned to the low-ready position. The methods practiced were similar to what the Soldiers learned in the past, however, new perspective and techniques from the unique instructors is what made the exercise different. READ MOREBookmark and Share

Genius Kong Says Farewell

A bitter sweet ending for who was said to be the best American rock band at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. READ MOREBookmark and Share

GTMO Gets Down with Traditional Japanese Jiu Jitsu

Taking care of your physical fitness while learning some unique ways to defend yourself is more than a possibility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.READ MOREBookmark and Share

New Year, New Gym, New Beginnings

The gym serves different purposes for different people. Some use it to maintain their regular physical fitness standards and others use it simply to relieve stress.READ MOREBookmark and Share

New Year, New Beginnings?

I don’t know about you but the beginning of a new year is something I look forward to, but dread at the same time. The days leading up to the New Year, we tend to look back on the previous year. We ponder on goals we’ve met or didn’t quite reach, or love ones we’ve gained and may have lost. Either way it’s one big emotional roller coaster of “I’m glad I had the chance to” or “I wish I would not have done that.” READ MOREBookmark and Share

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