This was a while ago, but when I was in the Navy, my ship used to go there for "refresher training," or REFTRA. REFTRA is where a ship that's been out of action for a while (e.g., lengthy shipyard overhaul periods, new construction, etc.), has to go play war for 4-6 weeks, sometimes even longer.
We were rarely allowed ashore, except maybe to pick up supplies, mail or go to the Naval Hospital there. Mostly we anchored out, waited for the Fleet Training Coordinators to board, get underway and go to battle stations for about 12 to 15 hours a day...every day. We'd pull back in to anchorage, catch up on all the work we didn't get to do because we were at General Quarters all damn day, and maybe...if we were lucky enough to be not on watch, nap for a couple of hours. Then, take the FTC guys on at 05:30, get underway again and repeat.
I think we only had to drill half-days on Sundays. Although I'm honestly not sure. It was all pretty much a blur to me.
I remember GITMO being hot, uncomfortable, and not very appealing to look at. I think I went ashore once or twice there to help the postal clerks pick up mail. I went to pick someone up at the hospital once. The base seemed kind of nice, but nothing I'd want to hang out at for long periods of time. There were worse places to be (Diego Garcia comes to mind). But I was happy to sail away once we completed REFTRA.
TL;DR - GITMO had very negative connotations to most sailors LONG before they started hoarding prisoners there.
Bosworth27 karma
This was a while ago, but when I was in the Navy, my ship used to go there for "refresher training," or REFTRA. REFTRA is where a ship that's been out of action for a while (e.g., lengthy shipyard overhaul periods, new construction, etc.), has to go play war for 4-6 weeks, sometimes even longer.
We were rarely allowed ashore, except maybe to pick up supplies, mail or go to the Naval Hospital there. Mostly we anchored out, waited for the Fleet Training Coordinators to board, get underway and go to battle stations for about 12 to 15 hours a day...every day. We'd pull back in to anchorage, catch up on all the work we didn't get to do because we were at General Quarters all damn day, and maybe...if we were lucky enough to be not on watch, nap for a couple of hours. Then, take the FTC guys on at 05:30, get underway again and repeat.
I think we only had to drill half-days on Sundays. Although I'm honestly not sure. It was all pretty much a blur to me.
I remember GITMO being hot, uncomfortable, and not very appealing to look at. I think I went ashore once or twice there to help the postal clerks pick up mail. I went to pick someone up at the hospital once. The base seemed kind of nice, but nothing I'd want to hang out at for long periods of time. There were worse places to be (Diego Garcia comes to mind). But I was happy to sail away once we completed REFTRA.
TL;DR - GITMO had very negative connotations to most sailors LONG before they started hoarding prisoners there.
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