On Thursday, 22 February 2018, RQ Construction LLC received over $23 million from the Pentagon to build a Contingency Mass Migration Complex at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay (NSGB). RQ Construction is tasked with designing and constructing buildings, roads, parking lots, and electrical systems.

With its headquarters in Carlsbad, California, RQ Construction is no stranger to work at Guantánamo. The corporation has previously repaired Wharf Bravo and repaved blacktop surfaces around the Naval Station. Stateside, RQ Construction is one of the Pentagon’s favorite building contractors. It has worked on dozens of construction sites across the U.S. military’s massive domestic footprint. Its projects include building a Marine battalion complex at Camp Lejeune, building SEAL facilities in and around San Diego, and building a SOF battalion ops facility at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

Construction is a steady, lucrative part of the U.S. war industry. Construction at Guantánamo continued throughout the Bush and Obama administrations. The Trump administration is no different.

Since 11 September 2001, construction projects at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay (NSGB) have been part of a comprehensive plan to upgrade and expand base’s accommodations and capabilities.

Recent Guantánamo upgrades include, but are not limited to: building a medical complex; constructing and installing massive fuel tanks; upgrading family housing; refurbishing the Taurman Avenue Electrical Substation; building an expansive school system; and installing new fiber optic cables linking government installations in Puerto Rico to NSGB. The list goes on, benefiting war corporations in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Texas, Virginia, and elsewhere.

Thursday’s contract to RQ Construction to build a Contingency Mass Migration Complex at Naval Station Guantánamo Bay is just the tip of the imperial iceberg. The contract with RQ Construction includes ten options. Options are extensions to an initial contract. RQ Construction is in for a treat. They can expect to receive much more funding than was allocated in the initial $23 million.

A U.S. SOUTHCOM spokesperson has claimed, “There are no detention facilities involved in this project.” Yet the very nature of the construction project contradicts such assertions. Building sprawling concrete pads, establishing sites for tents, and installing a mass public address system are all part of the Pentagon’s deal with RQ Construction. Such infrastructure can be converted overnight to a secure, fortified detention facility. Who will be housed there? Anyone deemed a threat to U.S. Empire is fair game.

Christian Sorensen, a Newsbud Contributing Author & Analyst, is a U.S. military veteran.