Get Muddy. Set, Go

GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA

09.11.2015

Courtesy Story

139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

By Capt. Gregory McElwain

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Off-roaders enjoy climbing the steep hills and muddy trails of GTMO.

Remember the kids in elementary school; the ones who never stayed within the lines? They were the same kids who splashed in the puddles during recess only to return to the classroom smiling from ear to ear. Those kids matured, bought Jeeps, and arrived at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to push boundaries and veer outside the lines.

Tim Baugh, the Morale, Welfare & Recreation outdoor recreation director, coordinated with agencies across GTMO to create the “GTMO Goes Off Road” MWR 4x4 event as an outlet for service members.

Before joining the GTMO MWR team in 2011, Baugh was an off-road driving supervisor at a resort in western Pennsylvania. However, last year was the first time he hosted an off-road event at GTMO.

Baugh knows this is not a typical MWR event, Aug. 29.
“This event is outside the normal options for MWR and hopefully provides the community with a fun and safe experience,” Baugh said, hoping this experience would give the participants a new view of the base.

At 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning, 15 drivers showed up for the event. Baugh gave the safety brief and explained the route. Joint Task Force and NAVSTA service members, as well as civilians, were eager to get going. It seemed as though they were encouraged by the heavy clouds and the possibility of precipitation for the morning.

Thanks to the little bit of rain, which Tropical Storm Erika graced us with, the vehicles were soon put into four wheel drive. Strangely, no one seemed to mind the mud coating their fenders. In fact, the more mud they found, the more their faces lit up.

The event was limited to privately owned vehicles that met the off-road requirements. Therefore, the few fortunate enough to participate were able to travel on roads, which are normally closed to the public, and trails that tested both the driver and vehicle.

Lt. Col. John Fivian, the commander of the 525 Military Police Battalion, seemed very much at home as everyone veered off of Sherman Avenue. Fivian started off-roading in high school in his first vehicle, a 1975 Chevy Blazer. Much of his time off-road was spent with civilian organizations.

“I have never been at an installation that does something like this,” Fivian said. “This 4x4 event is unique to GTMO.”

The trails brought the crew up and over Stephen Crane Hill to an observation tower for an unobstructed panoramic view of the island.

“The neat thing about this trip is that we get to go places that are generally off limits and make GTMO feel bigger,” Fivian said.

Unique events open up more of the base and give troops a different view of the island.

At the end of the day, muddy tires and happy drivers converged at the wash rack for a raffle and a free lunch provided by the MWR.


“I think that the camaraderie within the community at GTMO is fantastic as it is, but you add some off-road loving folks, and it takes it to a whole new level,” Baugh said, looking over the crowd.

Off-road events are rare on the island but they provide the “big kid” in some of us the chance to go outside the lines and get a little muddy.

• Date Taken: 09.11.2015
• Date Posted: 03.01.2016 11:00
• Story ID: 190641
• Location: GUANTANAMO BAY, CU