U.S. Military Bulks Up

Prior to the mid-1960s, Guam was known to the outside world almost exclusively as a military outpost. Income from the military comprised virtually all of the island's cash economy.

The growth of Guam's tourist industry during the last three decades rules out a return to those days. But after significant downsizing in the decade following the Cold War, all indications are that the U.S. military increasingly sees its Guam bases as valuable assets and is investing millions of dollars in upgrading them.

"Guam is 3,300 miles closer to the action than Pearl Harbor," says Rear Admiral Arthur Johnson, Commander of Naval Forces Marianas. And the territory offers the security of U.S. soil. After years of financial crisis, local officials welcome the buildup with a collective sigh of relief.

Military officials say that a global assessment of U.S. base locations is underway and will determine the nature of troop deployment in Guam and elsewhere, into the foreseeable future. Though the Integrated Global Presence Study has yet to be completed, a March 25 article in the Washington Post said that under the plan about 15 percent of U.S. troops in Asia would be withdrawn.

B-52 bombers at Andersen Air Force Base. Photo: Courtesy U.S. Air Force

"But much of that reduction could be offset by a buildup of personnel and aircraft in Guam and the possible stationing of another aircraft carrier battle group in either Guam or Hawaii," reported the Post. The plan is to be approved within a few months, according to the newspaper.

About 3,800 Navy personnel fall under the authority of the ComNavMar. The 15 diverse commands under Johnson include the naval hospital, a helicopter squadron, an ammunition storage facility, a nine-ship Maritime Prepositioning Squadron, a Special Warfare unit and the Naval Computer and Telecommunication Station. Submarine Squadron 15 is comprised of a submarine tender and two Los Angeles-class subs with a third to arrive before the end of this year. Mobile Security Squadron Seven has been based in Guam since mid-2003 with about 250 people to "provide force protection for high-value assets where such protection does not exist," says Lt. Cdr. Thuraya Kent, Navy Public Affairs Officer.

The Navy plans to dredge Apra Harbor in the near future, says Johnson. While carriers have entered the harbor on port visits, the dredging would create more maneuvering space for the big ships. Observers speculate that dredging would make the harbor more accommodating for large Trident-class subs as well.

One need only look at the construction activity at Andersen Air Force Base to conclude the base has a busy future. Projects recently completed, underway or upcoming are: a $12 million fitness center, a security forces operation facility, a war reserve material facility, an Air National Guard facility, a new medical and dental clinic, a new base shopping center, and $12 million in housing renovations.

At least two projects are aimed at keeping the base operational in the face of damage caused by Guam's periodic typhoons. Ground was broken in March for a $32.3 million typhoon-proof hangar for bombers. And in the hope of keeping the lights on in the wake of a storm, a $4.8 million project has begun to bury power lines at the base- which will benefit local power customers along the project's route as well. Ten new water wells will also be dug, making the base independent of the local water authority.

And in February, bombers returned to Guam for the first time since 1990. The Unified Command in the Pacific requested bombers for the region, says Sgt. Dale Yates, of the Andersen public relations office. Six B-52 bombers, along with about 300 support personnel, arrived in Guam as part of a continuous rotation- usually 90 days. "When these bombers leave, another unit will come in," says Yates. "There will be a continuous presence."

The base is already one of the largest fuel storage facilities in the military. And the final two phases of a fuel hydrant line are due to be completed next February.

Photo: Courtesy U.S. Air Force

Speculation also is rampant about the specifics of a buildup at Andersen following the eventual approval of the Integrated Global Presence Study. The base could find itself hosting a fighter wing, a permanent bomber unit, reconnaissance aircraft or tankers.

Seeing the buildup as a light at the end of a dark economic tunnel, four members of the Guam Chamber of Commerce traveled to Washington D.C. in April to meet with military decision makers. They were accompanied by Gerry Perez, administrator of the Guam Economic Development and Commerce Authority and presented Pentagon officials with information about Guam.

"We've been working hard to sell Guam as a logical place for the forward deployment of military assets," says Perez. "They've been concerned about the capacity of Guam to absorb assets. Not just the hardware but also the families."

The visit is the third made by chamber officials and focused on the territory's water, power and sewer infrastructure. "We want to make sure they know that Guam can take a bigger (military) footprint," says Carl Peterson, former Chamber of Commerce chairman.