It’s not much harsher than the treatment anyone else (including civilian Federal government employees) get when they visit. No mobile devices, no media (i.e. USB drives, even floppy discs back in the day). You usually have to register laptops and insure that they have various features disabled (but best to leave them behind). Most Federal buildings visitors (again, even other agency civilians) need to go through metal detectors/wanded, etc.
Paranoia at The Fort has spread to most other Federal agencies (those that do a lot of classified stuff anyway). The reporters aren’t being singled out, this is considered normal.
