By Scott Schonauer, Rota bureau
European edition, Saturday, January 26, 2002
Backbreaking work, 10 hours a day. Temperatures of more than 80 degrees. Working near prisoners described as potential "suicidal murderers."
It might not sound like a dream job — even if it is in the Caribbean in the middle of winter.
But don’t expect a long list of complaints from sailors building a temporary jail for Afghan detainees at a U.S. Navy base in Cuba.
For a Navy Seabee, there are few places in the world they would rather swing a hammer.
"It’s not so often that you get to take part in something like this," Petty Officer Allan Gold said by telephone in an interview with Stars and Stripes. "It’s our chance to do our part."
Their piece of the project is a big one.
In the past month, about 100 Navy Seabees from Rota, Spain, and bases in the United States have constructed cells with chain-link walls, concrete floors and wood and steel roofs. They have built about 120 so far. But they won’t stop there.
They are scrambling to put up a total of 320 cells to make room for more Taliban and al-Qaida detainees being held in Afghanistan. The rest of the story
I'd rather they be dead than prisoners, but taking them prisoner is the next best thing. Keep building!