This story comes from my younger brother who was stationed at Guantanamo Bay a few years ago.

“Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, or GTMO, is full of ghost stories. There are stories of refugees losing their lives crossing the mine fields and stories of soldiers who never left their posts. I didn’t think much of the tales until I experienced something strange one night.

I was in a Marine Observation Post, or MOP as we called them. It was MOP #13 (pictured right). Anyway, in this post you had to climb up a long stretch of stairs and enter through a hatch in the floor. This was a popular post because it was impossible for senior Marines to sneak up on you and catch you doing something stupid. This post was really remote and near the mine fields. It was always very dark and required night vision goggles to see anything beyond five feet.

One night, around nine p.m. or so, I was in MOP #13 looking into the darkness when I heard footsteps coming up the metal stairs. I remember thinking how weird it was because I didn’t hear or see my staff sergeant’s vehicle pull up. I just figured he was trying to be sneaky and catch me sleeping. Anyway, I clearly heard the foot steps and a knock on the hatch signaling me to open the door. However, when I opened the hatch nobody was there. Needless to say, I was freaked out. I guess it could have been a dream, but I’m not sure. If it was, it was the most vivid dream I’ve ever had.”