What It's Like Getting To Guantanamo Bay, The Most Controversial Military Base In The World

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Treadwell

Guantanamo Bay.

The name of the U.S. Naval Base located on a small sliver of Cuba likely brings up many different associations: A relic of the Cold War, or a military prison for suspected terrorists.

And for some in a post-9/11 world, it's a symbol of torture.

But for the military personnel stationed here — mostly sailors and Marines, it's just Gitmo. It's a tougher duty station than most. Unlike other places in the U.S. military, troops don't get to venture out in town, and guards in the detention facility often endure 12-hour shifts for four days straight, with two days off.

Robert Johnson, our own Military & Defense Editor, recently visited the base.

Just getting there was a challenge.