August Drive wraps up Gitmo

The US Report asked Jeff Congo with August Drive to let us know how the Jacksonville-based band’s trip to US Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (otherwise known as Gitmo) went. Lead vocalist/guitarist Jeff and his fellow band members Jason Ramsey (bass), Evan Cameron (lead guitar) and Chris Condon (drums) traveled to the base over the July 4 holiday to entertain US troops. Jeff agreed to share some photos from the trip.

He also shared some thoughts with us about the experience, and he composed those thoughts so well, we did a very light edit for formatting purposes only.

Jeff wrote:

We had such an incredible time. They treated us like royalty the entire time we were there, and we were starstruck by all of the people we met and their stories. We were really happy to be able to bring these guys and girls a little piece of home and sing some songs they knew. [Article continues after photo]

The fireworks display on the 4th was really an incredible experience. They launch the fireworks from the bay very close to the Cuban border, ironically. We got to stand with members of our military and watch the celebration of our country’s independence, as we were staring at the miles and miles of lit up border fencing of foreign country that we don’t exactly have the warmest relationship with, that made up the back drop of the fireworks display. …That sounds deep, but it was an experience and a feeling that I will remember forever!   

The Marines took us on a 3 hour tour—really gave us a thorough history and understanding of the base and how it came to be and what it stands for today.

Members of August Drive with US troops in Gitmo; the band Blond Ambition plays on stage in the background.

 In the States we hear “Gitmo” and we automatically think “detainee camps,” because that’s what is all over the news here, but in reality the camps are such a small part of what the mission of that base is all about. They allowed us to climb up into a Marine outlook post and look through the scope into Cuba. What we saw on the other end was a member of the Cuban military staring right back at us through binoculars! Kind of a scary feeling! 

August Drive was formed by members of two popular bands based in Jacksonville, Something Distant and Dial-9. As members of August Drive prepared for their trip to Gitmo, Jeff told TUSR  their performance would be "a way of saying ‘thank you’ to the troops for protecting us and our freedom."

[Photos courtesy of Alan Smith]