The GITMO Condition

[/)eathKiller]

___________Driving up a secluded road in a secluded world, my car steadily grew closer to its parking space, while placing me only closer to hearing the words that everyone had gathered to hear: “You are relieved.” The intentions of these words, as simple and few, would mean a change for the community, whether it was large or small was still to be determined. Traffic slowed to a crawl, the sea of cars having gathered was always considered a profound occurrence in such a small community. The psychology of the mob was present, the only philosophy: to proceed and do what you came here for. Many peopled came to the event to get out of work they would have had to do otherwise, others showed up to support their county and patriotism, others still came to bid a friend farewell. For whatever their reasons, as many people as there were, there were reasons, people seemed to show up in uncountable numbers.

___________The numbers only grew as time for the event drew closer. People conversed heavily in the stands, falling silent only when the background music did. Tension was rising in the air, people stood around, some nervous, others amused, others still remaining at attention with the finest military discipline. As the music resumed so did the conversing. The wind blew in from the sea, while ships came in to view to exhibit respect. Men in uniforms fanned into the stands and under a tarmac, others were invited and placed in respectable seats, the audience affected every one of all age groups, ranks, and cultures. A young military father carrying his newborn blue-eyed child walked by an elderly Jamaican woman using a walker in a sparkling old dress, this seemed to demonstrate the range of people which this event, apparently, had an effect on. The men in uniform bearing flags representing each state served as impressive filler next to a stand full of people in uniform. The uniformed groups, Marines, Naval Personnel, Coast Guard, Civilians, Joint Task Force, and specially invited families divided about in the stands, their clothing serving as the best form of separation. Visually, it was stunning, the number of humans, all whom were citizens of Guantanamo bay, friends and supporters, and many others, though many had shown up by their own actions, was, for the community, a large percentage. At one point a man in his naval uniform walked into a group of marines to talk to one he knew, he stood out like a drop of vanilla icing on a chocolate cake. The order of separation seemed to serve as being more than symbolic, but aesthetic, making the turnout of people seem even larger.

___________The music halted as soon as everyone had taken their place, only the most daring continued their conversations over the silence, saving the stilling of their words for when they were told. The young babies, somewhat startled erupted in cries of requests for attention, and the society of Guantanamo Bay, now symbolized in uniform and civilian clothing, was placed on a stage, before a stage, along with the representation of all fifty states. Everyone knew everyone else, and the small community was readied to bid farewell to its leader. Enemies and friends alike blended in the crowd though many tended to stay away from each other. It seemed that even the coming together of a community couldn’t handle incompatible humans. Just as some people love each other, people will also exhibit a natural affinity toward hating each other. I, unfortunately, was not so lucky as to sit far away from an individual whom I didn’t care for, he, in fact, bothered to sit right next to me, we remained mostly silent, as if ignorant of each others’ presence. Though I won’t name any names, I saw about 7 “couples” of people who couldn’t stand each other, some pointing fingers others pointing their noses into the air, others still refusing to make eye contact and just sitting somewhere else. All these trivial events ceased when the captain took the stand.

___________As a whole, the chaplain had everyone join in prayer, showing that, though religion was considered separate from state, that it still had an important part of the government and every ones’ lives, on base and off. The captain decided to begin by introducing a previous captain of the base, who served during a critical time in its history. Everyone came dressed in naval uniform but him, showing that all officers eventually become civilians just as easily as civilians can become officers. He pointed out that as he served as the case’s captain, and going over its 100 year history, that he, and the captains before and after him, rather than serving as just a commanding officer, they served like a Mayor. They served a community, not a regiment. This was the human condition of GTMO life. Jack Cousteau, the famous French explorer once said that Guantanamo Bay was a land where the future and the past came live and Cuban and American cultures blended, making the Cuban ways more democratic and making the American military ways similar to the closeness of Cuban culture.

___________The captain kept his pride as he spoke to the community of GTMO, which he regarded as a family which he also called himself a mayor of. He decided to not spend any time going over his accomplishments, anyone who went to a public speech of his had heard them anyway. The ceremony was very informal, while also holding the formality of an official naval event. The music was pre-recorded and the National Anthem was, to be frank, wasn’t one of the best I’d heard in my eight years here. (That was the biggest understatement I think I’ve ever put into writing, but I don’t really want to hurt anybody’s feelings) It seemed very personal, and directed toward everyone in the audience.

___________The captains gave thanks to their friends and fellow officers, and the one to replace the other grew fairly emotional. Of the four captains I have seen, this new one was the first, I had seen, who had to struggle with his emotions. That is because GTMO always has had a purpose, though its importance has varied through history. Now, GTMO plays the role of a prison for terrorists, and that is enough to make a captain position here, one worthy of a lot of prestige, rather than when it was simply a place for Cuban exiles to stay. Humans who have gone through military training usually learn to lose their emotions first, whether the new captain exhibited them before an audience, with struggle, meant anything, psychologically, about him or strategically, about the base, has yet to be known. The exiting captain then gave a final farewell, but rather than saying goodbye, he chose to say, “until we meet again,” in Spanish, fitting for a man who came here to run a base, which had the original intent of just monitoring Cuba, without any actual mission.

___________The sun began to fall behind the clouds and it darkened as the captain walked away after silence, prayers, salutes, whistle blowing, and the symbolic ringing of bells. A day when leadership changes usually means a day when the community and its philosophy changes, though the less change the more is usually preferred, unless change is for the better. Perhaps now is the proper time to use a quote from Mua’dib, “Change is the only constant, let us never forget this.” With that the command was passed on to a new captain, whether he be made famous or just another mayor, good or bad, the future can only be determined by time (though some would attribute fate as being in control while others would support free will).

___________Now I might ask, what was the philosophical importance of this event? It was a change of command, not an alteration of government or culture, just a man who takes a place in charge of a community to which he is foreign, but he will slowly grow to understand. Does a leader really make a difference to a people? Probably not, it is usually people who make a leader. Through their actions and abilities they make impressions which usually lead to the decisions made by leaders, hence the change of command, though symbolic, simply exists for people and is about people, even though it centers on the change of power from one man to the next.

___________It should still be regarded as significant, however, because a government is usually based on a leader, selected by the people, which, unless he does something out of the ordinary, keeps to himself and is never known, personally, by the people which he has power over. The captains of GTMO are usually placed in a situation which makes them more like a mayor rather than a leader. The people mold and shape the captain into their representative figurehead. He is a man made of his past and his people, and that is how it has been for nearly a hundred years.

___________In conclusion, the world that is GTMO is truly one of the future and past in convergence. The event may be regarded as one of naval importance, though it really seemed to act more like a show of faces for some and a way out of work for others. It did serve as a way of supporting patriotism, along with many other diverse personal things. What I can determine is that it was certainly more of the passing on of one community's mayor to be replaced by another rather than a commander. It is an important thing, change, it keeps people moving, growing, and expanding, while also retaining the most important aspects of our community. Though we have a new command coming in, we still preserve the spirit of GTMO which has been forged in its history, and the human condition of the base will remain a constant, though the mission may not always be the same.

___________A final thought: Now that I look back on it, the whole thing seemed more sociological than philosophical, though philosophy tends to tie into all things, this one more than most naval assemblies, the compassion of Guantanamo Bay’s Community was placed into an effigy of ceremony and given the title of importance, and yet the captain kept it informal, and broke the ice in the same fashion that Betty Fair did in his description of a quiet awkward moment on the elevator, “Group Hug!”. This is the spirit, the very heart and soul, of the GTMO Condition. Strength in numbers, supported by emotional friendliness, with a barbed-wire shell and a creamy personal center, the recipe for success. There’s no doubt in my mind that this base, this ongoing community, will pave many roads through history, and it will always stand together, not supported by orders or a chain of command, but by people; hard-working, very respectable people.

___________Ian Boswell, Just another one of those people
______________________Term Paper of Philosophy 106

Note: This doesn't have to do with the war on iraq I just figured if anyone was interested in any positive military news I can always report some [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Kakero]

what does GITMO stand for?

[/)eathKiller]

Guantanamo, the I is just put it to make it sound Poefenetic...

[Kakero]

okay, and what does Poefenetic means? i couldn't find it in my dictionary.