Gitmo Cuba job

[VINCE8541]

I have an offer for a full-time government job for the dept of the Navy as an Airfield specialist / GS-11 in Gitmo. Navy pays all moving expenses and you get 8 weeks of vacation a year. positions cannot go longer than 5 years. Before I jump does anyone have any info on living in Cuba good or bad? Looking for opinions and advice.

[Kegler300]

I lived there for a year back in 85-86. I enjoyed it. The housing was nice back then, so it's probably much better now. There were frequent floats and military hops to Puerto Rico and some other islands in the Caribbean offered to military and their dependents. The base itself is not that big, and the golf course sucked, but all-in-all, I would recommend it.

[Schindig28]

I am currently on deployment to GTMO. there are not a lot of marines down here probably around 250 compared to the thousands of navy, air force, and army. the marines down here are mostly part of Marine corps security forces company. two platoons of FAST marines come down at a time for a period of four months each. the others are part of headquarters. for living conditions if you are married you will be in on base housing with your dependents and if not you will be put in the barracks on marine hill. the barracks are extremely nice compared to what I have previously stayed in. large rooms, cable TV, and a full size kitchen. the chow hall down here is the best one I've ever been to bye far because everyone on base eats there. there are a few bars on base as well as some restaurants including McDonalds, subway, and taco bell. the only big downside to being here is there is horrible internet connection and it pretty hot majority of the time. but overall this place is a pretty good place to be stationed in my opinion.

[Kegler300]

Banana rats and 'teeth' ...

[Old Marine]

McDonalds, Taco Bell and Subway were not restaurants last time I checked. LOL

[Swampyankee]

I thought the lease on Gitmo was up, terms of the Spanish-American war was that the US had a 99 year lease on the base. Castro that hard up for money that he'd renew the lease with the capitalist American pigs?
I had the joy of pulling in there several times, once as a guest of the hospital. I wouldn't want to live there.

[VINCE8541]

Well, I initially let that GITMO job slip through my fingers. The job was reposted as a GS-12 and I reapplied and accepted the position so If all goes well I should be down in GITMO by August. It has been a hard winter here in New England and even harder for this old fart to cope in the military. This is bitter sweet but I put my retirement application in and I will take this uniform off for the last time.

[devilbones2]

Congrats Vince, best of luck to you.

[7point62]

Rog that, best of luck. I enjoyed my stint at Gitmo, and echo the opinions of the previous posters who liked it. I'm sure things have changed since my time there in the 70s, but I'd go back in a heartbeat.