General Public & Members of the Media
The Office of Military Commissions operates a public viewing site at the Post Theater at Fort Meade, Maryland, for the viewing of military commission proceedings from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. All members of the public are welcome to attend on a space available basis.
CCTV Viewing will remain at the Post Theater on Ft. Meade until the end of July, 2016, thereafter, members of the media are encouraged to attend and can watch military commission proceedings from Smallwood Hall at Fort Meade, Maryland. If you are a member of the media, please coordinate with the OSD-Public Affairs office (Press Desk Phone #: 703-697-5131) for information on securing a seat.
Generally, military commission sessions begin at 0900. We encourage those viewing the proceedings to arrive 30-45 minutes before the beginning of the session. For your safety, and to ensure all courtroom rules and regulations are followed, please follow all signed and oral instructions provided by the Office of Military Commissions personnel in attendance.
Instructions on how to access Fort Meade can be found on the Fort Meade website or below:
Directions to Fort Meade
Installation Access Procedures and Gate Information
Members of the public without a Department of Defense I.D. card must use Gate 7 at Reece Road and Maryland Route 175 to obtain a one-day pass. Gate 7 is also the location of the Demps Visitor Control Center.
To obtain a one-day pass, the driver will need to show a valid driver’s license and an original and current vehicle registration.
Parking is available at the Smallwood Hall parking lot on Cooper Avenue. To reach this parking lot from Gate 7 follow these directions:
- Drive west on Reece Road (1 mi.)
- Turn left onto Cooper Avenue (.7 mi.)
- There will be a sign directing visitors into the parking lot on Cooper Avenue.
The Post Theater is located approximately 300 yards down Cooper Avenue at the corner of Roberts and Llewellyn Avenues. Smallwood Hall is located immediately adjacent to the Smallwood Hall parking lot.
First Responders, Victims, & Victim Family Members
The Office of Military Commissions also provides viewing locations for First Responders (9/11 Case only) and for Victims and Family Members of Victims (9/11 and USS Cole Cases) at multiple locations along the East Coast of the United States. These are as follows:
| USS Cole Case: |
Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia (V/FM Only) |
9/11 Case: |
Fort Hamilton, New York (V/FM and First Responders Only)
Fort Meade, Maryland (V/FM Only)
Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst, New Jersey (V/FM Only)
Fort Devens, Massachusetts (V/FM Only) |
For more information about these locations or to gain access to the password-protected portion of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, please contact the Victim Family Member program staff. Iif you currently have access, logon to the password-protected portion of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program site.
|