Teenage soldier dies

By Janela Buhain from MVguam.com

A TEENAGE soldier from Guam died from a bomb attack in Afghanistan on Friday raising to 18 the total number of fatalities here since the U.S.-led war in Iraq and Afghanistan began seven years ago.

The Department of Defense identified the fallen Guam soldier as U.S. Army Private First Class Jaysine Petree of Yigo.

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, DELAWARE--Soldiers carry the body of Army Pfc. Jaysine P.S. Petree of Yigo, Guam upon arrival at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware on Sunday. According to the Department of Defense, Petree, 19, was killed while serving in Afghanistan. Guam Acting Governor Mike Cruz declares a state of mourning and ordered all flags to be half-flown to honor the fallen soldier. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Acting Governor Mike Cruz declared a state of mourning and ordered all flags to be flown in half-mast to honor Petree.

Petree joined the U.S. Army straight out of high school last year because she wanted to relocate her family to the U.S. mainland.

“It was our goal together that we were going to have a big house in the mainland and bring our family there,” said Jam Petree, the victim’s younger brother.

After moving to Guam from the Philippines in 2002, the siblings promised each other to work together to help their family.

“We just wanted to be successful in life. That was our main goal together,” the brother said.

He flew back to Guam from the Philippines upon learning about his sister’s tragic death.

“My uncle called me because my mom couldn’t speak,” he said. “She was in shock.”

Petree’s body was flown to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware yesterday Guam time. But it’s still unknown as of press time when it will reach Guam.

Petree is Guam’s 18th casualty since the start of the War on Terror in 2003 and Micronesia’s 37th casualty.

“Governor Camacho and I join the family, friends and the people of Guam in mourning the loss of U.S. Army PFC Jaysine Petree. We will forever be grateful for the sacrifice she paid on behalf of our freedom and liberty. She will always be remembered and honored in our hearts,” the acting governor said in a statement.

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo also expressed her condolences: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of PFC Jaysine Petree. She made the ultimate sacrifice in answering the call of duty, and I join our island in mourning the loss of PFC Petree. I extend my most sincere sympathies and prayers to her family, friends and loved ones.”

Rosaries are being held nightly at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Yigo at 7:30 pm.

Merging bases turns out to be not so simple and not so cost effective

Merging bases turns out to be not so simple and not so cost effective

By Charlie Reed, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, February 17, 2010

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — The idea behind a 2005 plan to streamline the military is seemingly simple: Merge Army Post X with nearby Naval Base Y and let the savings begin.

But combining 26 neighboring Army, Navy and Air Force installations — located in the continental United States and the Pacific — into 11 joint bases and one joint region is proving far from simple and even farther from reducing costs.

Military estimates of potential savings over the next 20 years already have dropped significantly since 2005, from $2.3 billion to $273 million, according to a 2009 Government Accountability Office report.

Four joint bases and Joint Region Marianas became operational in October and the other seven follow suit this year.

The joint basing plan focuses on consolidating base support services — such as building maintenance, gate security and child care — to increase purchasing power and reduce potential overlaps in the work force.

The problem, according to the GAO, is that the Pentagon raised standards for joint bases that require them to fully fund support services — a practice rarely accomplished at traditional bases as the military attempts to reduce non-war spending.

Most commanders can keep costs down at their bases with measures such as reducing gym hours or postponing building renovations. But commanders of joint bases have no such flexibility.

The higher standards and the funding mandate “put a limit on how much you can save at joint bases,” said Navy Capt. Richard Kitchens, who is leading efforts at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, where a gate that for decades separated Naval Station Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base was removed Jan. 31 in anticipation of their official merge in October.

And along with higher-than-expected administrative costs — at least in the short term — and the loss of efficiencies some merging bases will experience by no longer being part of their services’ regional operations, it is “unclear whether joint basing will result in any actual savings,” the GAO report states.

Meanwhile, military leaders at the joint bases have put reducing costs on the back burner as they continue sorting out how to combine manpower and adapt to each other’s distinct military cultures and business practices.

“We’re still making sure we’re not going to impact the mission,” Kitchens said. “We’re going to do this right and then worry about the savings.”

The joint bases are expected to save money by joining forces for contracted goods and services and ultimately eliminating duplicate jobs, though the Pentagon has stopped short of mandating they do so for now.

“We’re reasonably a couple of years away from achieving savings, if there are any to be achieved,” said Steve Wolborsky, chief of Andersen Air Force Base’s development office on Guam.

Andersen and Naval Base Guam are the only two installations that combined to form a joint region rather than a joint base. One service at each of the other joint bases takes ownership of the installation, while Navy and Air Force commanders on Guam retain responsibility for their respective bases but are now considered Joint Region Marianas.

The base mergers are part of the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Act, or BRAC — sweeping legislation intended to make the military more efficient.

The collective BRAC measures also are expected to save less than had been planned in 2005, dropping from $36 billion to $13.7 billion, the GAO reported in an earlier 2009 report.

Army mulls high-speed water transports

Army mulls high-speed water transports

By Audrey McAvoy, The Associated Press
Mideast edition, Thursday, February 11, 2010

HONOLULU — The Army said Monday it’s considering purchasing up to a dozen high-speed vessels similar to the one used by the now-defunct Hawaii Superferry interisland ferry service.

Environmentalists opposed the Hawaii Superferry, alleging the high-speed ships used to operate the state’s first interisland car and passenger service would strike whales and spread invasive species. Activists say the Army’s version of the vessel raises the same issues.

“Some of the same concerns exist — obviously we’re talking about the same type of technology,” said Robert Harris, director of the Sierra Club’s Hawaii chapter. “So just as we were pushing the Superferry to look at those risks, I think we’d be looking to the military to look at them as well.”

In addition to Pearl Harbor, bases in Virginia, San Diego, Seattle-Tacoma, Wash., and Guam also are under consideration for the ships. The Army didn’t say how many vessels were being suggested for each location, only that it is proposing to have up to three ships at a spot and up to 12 overall.

The Army said it’s seeking public input for an environmental impact statement on its proposal.

The ships are designed to “support the rapid transport of military troops and equipment in the U.S. and abroad,” an Army statement said.

Not every proposed location will host the vessels, and other sites could still be considered, the Army said, adding it would decide after the environmental study.

The ships, built by Austal USA in Mobile, Ala., can reach speeds of up to 35 to 45 knots.

Both the Army and Superferry versions are diesel-fueled aluminum catamarans that use water jet propulsion instead of propellers.

The military’s version has a helicopter flight deck and machine gun stations. It’s also about 13 feet shorter and wider than its civilian counterpart.

Harris said there’s a risk the high-speed vessels could strike whales, noting the state is host to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary where whales migrate to every winter to breed and calve.

“The concern when you’re traveling at that high a speed is that the whale or the boat is not going to have an opportunity to stop, move or get out of the way,” Harris said.

The ships may become a conduit for invasive species if they sneak aboard vehicles the vessels are transporting from island to island.

“Unless you have a vigorous system set up for inspecting the vehicles and monitoring them, you’ve created a new pathway for invasive species to spread,” Harris said.

Invasive species are among the biggest threats to the environment in Hawaii, where they compete for habitat with native, endangered species.

Hawaii is home to more than 300 endangered species — more than any other state.

The Hawaii Superferry began regularly scheduled high-speed interisland service in December 2007. But it stopped operating and declared bankruptcy in early 2009 after the state Supreme Court ruled an environmental impact statement needed to be conducted for it to operate.

The company had hoped to stay in business while the state completed the environmental study, but the court said the study had to be completed first.

Combat Catamarans

Combat Catamarans

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 04:15
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff

Army bares high speed vessels plan for Guam

IF THE U.S. Army’s plan to station three Joint High Speed Vessels in Apra Harbor pushes through, Guam residents may have to put up with five to six months of live-fire training each year.

Guam is one of the locations being considered to station up to three high-speed vessels, designed to support the rapid transport of military troops and equipment.

According to an Army news release, the vessels require fueling at sea training, helicopter aviation training and live-fire training.

While the release noted that the Army is looking for sites that could reasonably accommodate the JHSV’s requirement for live-fire training, it wasn’t specified if the training would take place on Guam or at an off-island location.

Home sites for the vessels would only be used to support the berthing and training requirements in and around the stationing location for 170 days per year because the watercrafts will spend an estimated 150 days or more on deployment.

The Army is eyeing Guam as a possible station for the vessels because of the island’s existing port and maintenance facilities.

The high-speed vessels come with a 31-member crew but can accommodate up to 350 additional soldiers. The vessel can reach speeds of 35-45 knots and has the capacity to carry approximately 700 short tons.

The vessels also come with weapons mount for crew-served weapons, a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that allows vehicles to drive off the ship quickly.

Last week, the Army announced that public comments identifying environmental issues and concerns regarding the presence and operation of the high speed vessels will be accepted until March 5.

While Army officials are already studying sites on Guam, U.S. Army Environmental Command Public Affairs Specialist Cathy Kropp said input from local residents and government agencies are still necessary.

Kropp also said that the Army is aware of the existing draft environmental impact statement that outlines the U.S. Navy’s plans for Apra Harbor.

The public comments being sought by the U.S. Army Environmental Command will be used to draft the programmatic environmental impact statement, which will study the potential impacts to air quality, airspace, cultural resources and marine life on various sites around the island if the vessels were stationed locally.

Army’s vessel-deployment plan puzzles senator

Army’s vessel-deployment plan puzzles senator

Monday, 08 February 2010 04:22
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff

The U.S. Army’s plan to station a fleet of joint high-speed vessels on Guam has left Senator Judi Guthertz second-guessing the transparency of military officials involved with military buildup efforts.

As chair of the military buildup committee, Guthertz said she is frustrated with the way military officials notified the public of its intent to station additional ships on Guam.

An advertisement was published yesterday asking island residents and government agencies to provide feedback so the Army could draft a programmatic environmental impact statement for the stationing of the vessels.

However, Guthertz said that little information was given regarding the timeline of implementation of the project, where these vessels will be housed and other vital information necessary for residents to determine whether it would help or hurt the island.

The advertisement said a copy of the Army’s notice of intent was posted on www.aec.army.mil, however Variety’s attempt to find the link failed.

According to the notice, residents have until March 5 to comment on the project.

“This is another case of the military telling the people of Guam- here’s what we want to do, what do you think,” said Guthertz adding that the comment period for this new project, like the length of the commenting period for the draft environmental impact statement, is too short.

Guthertz said that the military’s decision to ask residents to consider the environmental impacts of the stationing of up to twelve high-speed vessels on island while the upcoming military buildup is still a hugely debated topic is a case of bad timing.

Guthertz said that island residents, who are still trying to sift through the complicated DEIS, now have to worry about an additional project that could have a negative impact on the island’s community.

“Why was this not included in the draft environmental impact statement or buildup talks,” said Guthertz, adding that nowhere in the 11,000-page document does it mention the stationing of the vessels.

Guthertz said she is in the process of sending letters to military officials explaining her concerns.

“I want more information, more logistics about how this will affect the island,” said Guthertz.

Guthertz said that island residents are concerned about the lack of transparency on buildup efforts, something that needs to change.

Guthertz said that it isn’t fair for the military to ask the people of Guam what they think about buildup efforts if the entire picture isn’t presented. She added that she is worried more last-minute projects will be dumped on island resident’s laps in the coming months.

“How many more of these situations are going to occur,” asked Guthertz, adding that she, like most island residents, just want to know what’s in store for the island as the next few years unfold.

Guam may host Army fast ships

Guam may host Army fast ships

By Gaynor Dumat-ol Daleno • Pacific Daily News • February 4, 2010

Guam is one of several areas being considered as a station for up to a dozen high-speed catamaran-style military ships each capable of transporting more than 300 people per ship, according to an Army Environmental Command announcement.

Hawaii, San Diego and Seattle are also being considered, according to the command's announcement, which was issued as an advertisement in the Pacific Daily News to solicit public comments.

A cooperative effort between the Navy and the Army, the Joint High Speed Vehicles, or JHSVs will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, vehicles and equipment, according to an earlier Defense Department announcement of the program on defenselink.mil.

"JHSVs will be capable of transporting 700 short tons (within) 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and can operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank," according to the Defense Department.

These ships all give commanders the ability to roll on a company with full gear and equipment, or roll on a full infantry battalion if used only as a troop transport, haul it intra-theater distances, then move their shallow draft safely into austere ports to roll them off, according www.defenseindustrydaily.com.

Initial uses of the high-speed vessels have led to a $1.6 billion program called the Joint High Speed Vessel, which could involve up to 10 ships, according to defenseinustrydaily.com.

The Army Environmental Command notice for public comment says up to 12 Joint High Speed Vessels will be stationed.

Army to station high-speed vessels to Guam

Army to station high-speed vessels to Guam

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:50
by Tiffany Sukola | Variety News Staff

GUAM is one of the locations where the U.S. Army wants to station and operate 12 Joint High Speed Vessels.

Military officials are asking government agencies as well as island residents to provide feedback before drafting a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the stationing of the vessels.

A joint project between the Army and Navy, the vessels are small, high-speed ships that can carry troops, vehicles and supplies among the world’s waterways. Each vessel can carry about 600 short tons and travel at an average speed of 35 knots.

The Army is considering stationing at least 12 of these vessels at various ports including Virginia, San Diego, Seattle-Tacoma, Pearl Harbor and Guam. Additional ports around the world are also being considered to hold the high-speed crafts.

Comments identifying environmental issues and concerns regarding the presence and operation of the high speed vessels will be accepted until March 5.

A published advertisement said the copy of the Army’s notice of intent was posted on www.aec.army.mil, but Variety’s attempt to find the link failed.

Guam could house Army vessels

Guam could house Army vessels

Posted: Feb 03, 2010 2:04 PM
Updated: Feb 03, 2010 3:47 PM

by Mindy Aguon

*U.S. Army Environmental Command
http://aec.army.mil/usaec/

Guam - Guam is one of several locations being considered for the stationing and operation of up to 12 Army joint high speed vessels. According to the U.S. Army Environmental Command, public comments are being accepted until next month in preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement.

The Army is requesting input from Guam Chamorro groups and other groups as well as federal and local agencies. The Army is also considering stationing the joint high speed vessels in the Virginia tidewater area, San Diego, California, Seattle-Tacoma Washington area and at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The army is also considering several locations overseas.

According to the Army Environmental Command, the vessels are designed to support the rapid transport of soldiers and equipment in the United States and abroad. The deadline to provide input is March 5.

Comments should be sent to:

Public Affairs Office
U.S. Army Environmental Command
5179 Hoadley Road
Attn: IMAE-PA
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010
Phone: (410) 436-2556
E-mail: APGR-USAECNEPA@conus.army.mil

Buildup team urges more questions

Buildup team urges more questions

By Laura Matthews • Pacific Daily News • January 21, 2010

The last round of Gov. Felix Camacho's presentations on the draft Environmental Impact Statement attracted a number of young people seeking to learn more about the changes to affect the island.

Thousands of pages from the draft EIS were summarized by the governor's Advisory Consultant Team in just a few hours yesterday at the Mangilao Senior Citizens Center.

Residents have until Feb. 17 to submit comments on the draft EIS, which will reshape Guam in the coming years. Their comments on the document could affect the actions the military carries out on the island, as public comments will be taken into consideration as the Defense Department moves forward.

"I think it is good for young people to come so that we can be a little more informed," said Tiara San Augustin, 19.

The Agana Heights resident said she decided to show up after her friends told her about a history class they took at the University of Guam. She said the teacher invited her friends to pay attention to these hearings and listen for the consequences of the military moving to the island.

"I don't see the big picture, and that is why I am here," San Augustin said.

Tamuning resident Gina De Guzman, 20, also wants to see the big picture.

"I don't know much about what's going on," she said. "I feel like the culture might change a lot. It is different from America and a lot of people coming here will change the localized things."

The coming military buildup will bring approximately 80,000 people to Guam by 2014. The influx of people would affect every sector on Guam ranging from public safety to utilities.

Celeste Werner, the program manager for the governor's Advisory Consultant Team, reminded residents who have questions on the draft EIS to provide an effective comment that generates action. Comments should be specific -- residents should explain how the proposed action would affect them and should provide solutions, she said.

The draft EIS was released Nov. 20 for public viewing and contains vital information on how every aspect of life on Guam will change during the military buildup.

The Department of the Navy is preparing the draft to assess the potential environmental effects associated with the proposed military activities. The Navy is the lead agency for preparation of the draft EIS.

The proposed actions are complex, multiservice projects involving components of the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy and Army, according to the Department of Defense. Each volume in the nine-volume draft EIS evaluates a discrete portion of the proposed actions.

Residents have until Feb. 17 to comment, but Guam's delegate and the legislative vice speaker say Guam needs more time to provide input.

Vice Speaker Benjamin Cruz and Delegate Madeleine Bordallo both have written letters in support of extending the amount of time residents can comment. Bordallo sent a letter to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus asking for a 45-day extension. The Navy has yet to respond to the request.

Generally, federal rules provide the public 45 days to review a draft EIS before a final statement is published as a Record of Decision in the Federal Register. However, the Navy department, at the request of Guam officials, extended the public comment period for the Guam draft EIS an additional 45 days.

FOCUS: U.S. military eyes Guam as staging post to counter threats

FOCUS: U.S. military eyes Guam as staging post to counter threats

January 02 2010 19:12
Saturday, January 02, 2010 5:13 AM

HAGATNA, Jan. 2, 2010 (Kyodo News International) -- The United States plans to fortify Guam, upgrading its military base on the island into a strategic staging post that would allow rapid access to potential flashpoints in the Pacific region.

More troops, including 9,182 Marines, army soldiers and their dependents from Okinawa, Japan, will be relocated to this island, while more than 9,000 transient troops, mainly from the navy's carrier strike group, will also be based here.

The ''overarching purpose'' of beefing up Guam as a military fortress is ''to provide mutual defense, deter aggression, and dissuade coercion in the Western Pacific Region, according to a draft impact report recently released by the U.S. Defense Department.

The proposed buildup would allow U.S. military forces to respond to regional threats and contingencies in a ''flexible'' and ''timely manner'' as they work to ''defend U.S., Japan and allied interests,'' the study says.

''Moving these forces to Guam would place them on the furthest forward element of sovereign U.S. territory in the Pacific, thereby maximizing their freedom of action,'' it says.

According to the report, the United States envisions Guam as a ''local command and control structure'' manned, equipped, trained, and sustained by a modern logistics infrastructure.

The relocation and buildup cost, including expansion of infrastructure needed to maintain a permanent base for Marines and U.S. Army troops on Guam and Tinian, an island 160 kilometers to the northeast, is pegged at $12 billion. Japan has agreed to chip in $6.09 billion of the total.

The plan would entail ''increased operational activities,'' more frequent berthing by aircraft carriers and other warships, building aviation training ranges and upgrading of harbors, wharves and ports.

The existing Andersen Air Force Base on Guam would be expanded to include the air elements of the Marines. A new Marine base would be built ''right next door,'' the study says.

Various firing ranges would be built to meet the various training requirements of a larger military contingent.

The U.S. also plans to expand its live fire training ranges in Tinian where about 200 or more Marines could ''realistically train'' with their weapons and equipment ''without restrictions.''

Also on the drawing board is the building of a deep-draft wharf at Guam's Apra Harbor to support nuclear-powered aircraft carriers transiting through the area.

A U.S. Army ''Air and Missile Defense Task Force'' is also proposed for Guam to protect the island and U.S. forces there against the threat of harm from ballistic missile attacks.

Weapons emplacement sites would be constructed to accommodate the ''Terminal High Altitude Area Defense'' system, which is designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight.

Other emplacement sites would accommodate Patriot missiles, which are designed to strike threat aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles just before impact.

The U.S military is beefing up its presence in Guam after U.S. allies in the Pacific -- the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, South Korea and Singapore -- turned down U.S. requests for permanent basing of U.S. troops on their soil.

Already concerns are being raised over plans to transform Guam into ''a multi-service military base.''

''Some of the areas that they're planning to convert into firing ranges include pristine limestone forested areas that will require some clearing of native forest trees,'' Jeffrey Quitugua, a biologist, told Kyodo News.

Judith Guthertz, a senator in the Guam Legislature who chairs the military buildup committee, is concerned over ''land condemnation or land takings.''

''That is a very emotional issue for the people of Guam because of what happened after World War II where the federal government condemned so much land on Guam. We don't want a repeat of that,'' she told Kyodo News in an interview.

Henry Simpson, general manager of Guam Racing Federation, said the U.S. military aims to take his race track without even consulting him. ''They want to run over our land,'' he said.

But Paul Shintaku, executive director of the Guam Buildup Office, in the Guam governor's office, said public consultations are ongoing, with a series of fora scheduled in January to enlighten the public on the plan.

Guam's government also scoffs at fears the plan will make the island prone to attacks by U.S. enemies.

''I don't see it as painting a bigger red target on us,'' Shintaku's deputy Nora Camacho said. ''Of course we have that red light, that red circle around us...but there's a deterrence.''

(Source: iStockAnalyst)

SEE ALSO:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The overarching purpose for the proposed actions is to locate U.S. military forces to meet international agreement and treaty obligations and fulfill U.S. government national security to provide mutual defense, deter aggression, and dissuade coercion in the Western Pacific Region. The need of the proposed actions is to meet various criteria based upon U.S. policy, international agreements, and treaties, including but not limited to positioning forces to defend the homeland and U.S. Pacific territories; respond within a timely response range; maintain regional stability; provide flexibility to respond to regional threats; defend U.S., Japan, and allied interests, and other defense related criteria. Guam's location as the westernmost part of the United States is critical to U.S. national security interests. In implementing U.S. national security policy, the Department of Defense would increase the role of Guam and the CNMI through the relocation of Marines to Guam, increased presence of a transient aircraft carrier, and enhanced capability to protect the U.S. homeland, Pacific territories, forces, and its allies from ballistic missile attacks.

As a result of reviews of the U.S. defense posture in the Pacific region and a parallel review of U.S. force posture supporting the U.S. alliance with Japan, a portion of U.S. Marine Corps forces currently located in Okinawa, Japan would be relocated to Guam. This relocation is proposed to occur concurrent with proposed wharf construction in Guam's Apra Harbor to support the Navy transiting nuclear aircraft carriers. An Army AMDTF is also proposed for Guam to protect the U.S homeland, Pacific territories, forces and its allies against the threat of harm from ballistic missile attacks.

Federal Register: November 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 223)
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-27960.htm

MCT tackles military buildup mitigation plans

MCT tackles military buildup mitigation plans

Wednesday, 23 December 2009 04:25 Varitey News Staff

(MCT)--The Micronesia Conservation Trust Board of Trustees hosted a breakfast yesterday to discuss the trust’s work in Micronesia and inform key stakeholders about environmental mitigation proposals to help protect and restore Guam’s natural resources from impacts associated with the military buildup.

The trust, or MCT, is a not-for-profit corporation established to support biodiversity conservation by providing grants and capacity building/training support to local organizations and communities across the Micronesia region including Guam, the CNMI, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Marshall Islands.

On Guam, MCT is working with the Guam Governor’s Office, the Natural Resource Subcommittee, the Army Corps of Engineers and other relevant federal agencies to apply as an In Lieu Fee Program Sponsor in support of some of the projects that will be required to mitigate impacts associated with the military build-up in Guam.

MCT Board members and partner agencies met with members of the legislature to discuss the proposal and what it will mean for the island.

Senators expressed several concerns about the buildup and highlighted issues for further discussion or legislation, including a mechanism to make local school groups and non-profit organizations eligible for additional funding for projects.

“I am pleased so many Senators showed an interest in the ILF program and look forward to more discussions as Guam and MCT continue working on mitigation issues,” said William Kostka, MCT executive director.

MCT plans to submit their ILF application to the Army Corps of Engineers in early February. If approved, the program could mean millions of dollars to support natural resource conservation projects in Guam as the buildup progresses and beyond.

Army Unsure of its Guam Needs

Army unsure of its Guam needs
By Steve Limtiaco
Pacific Daily News
slimtiaco@guampdn.com
10/5/07

The military continues to flesh out its plans for expansion on Guam, including the transfer of 8,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa, but still missing from the equation is the U.S. Army, which has not stated what it will need to operate here.

The military has proposed creating an Army base on Guam to provide missile defense, with as many as 630 soldiers and their families.

"We don't have the information yet," said Navy Capt. Robert Lee, acting director of the Joint Guam Program Office, who yesterday gave an update on the "Guam Military Master Plan" to the governor's civilian military task force.

The final version of the master plan for Guam is scheduled to be complete by next summer, and Lee described yesterday's presentation to the civilian military task force as, "Our first stab at a master plan."
The hourlong presentation was held at the University of Guam's business college, and Lee said it was an opportunity for the local task force to participate in the planning process. The governor and lieutenant governor heard the same presentation last Friday.

"No conclusions have been made at this time," Lee said, but he outlined some of the concepts that will drive the military's plans, including the military's desire to keep all of its activities on or near bases. The Marines like to live where they work, he said.

The plans for Guam mean the different branches of the service will share bases, Lee said, and the goal is to keep family and bachelor housing close to the bases and "quality-of-life" facilities.

The bases will be designed to allow for future expansion, Lee said, and to prevent the type of encroachment that happened at the Marine Corps Air Station, Futenma, in Okinawa. The base, which is next to the city of Ginowan, has generated concerns about community safety and the noise from military activities.

A billion-dollar road linking military bases in northern and southern Guam also has been proposed, but Lee said plans for a road will not begin until at least one of the services says it needs a road for its operations here. In the meantime, information about Guam traffic patterns will be included as part of environmental impact studies, he said.

While the Army has not yet weighed in on the expansion plans, Maj. Gen. Donald Goldhorn, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, said he met with the Army's Pacific commander last week to express concerns that the Army has been slow in stating its requirements on Guam.

Goldhorn, who is a task force member, said the logical location for an Army base on Guam is in Barrigada, next to the existing Guam Army National Guard headquarters. That way, the army, the army reserve and the national guard can share facilities, he said.

Goldhorn said army headquarters would be located in Barrigada, but its missile defense sites would be elsewhere on Guam, probably in the north and south.

For the most part, yesterday's update was consistent with the military development plan released by the U.S. Pacific Command in July 2006 -- land in Dededo continues to be the most viable location for the Marines, and Andersen Air Force base continues to be the most viable option for Marine Corps aircraft.

Lee showed the task force lists of locations for different types of activities, noting whether the sites are viable, potentially viable, or non-viable. Analysis of viable and potentially viable sites is ongoing, he said.

While the military has identified viable locations for most activities, it still has not found a viable location on military-held land for live-fire training, Lee said.

NCTS Finegayan is among the potential training sites, he said, but the military also is considering the use of non-military land.

"We're receiving inquiries from people about buying or leasing ... their land," he said.

Lee said it is not known whether the training sites will be attached to or apart from the military bases. "It's wide open right now. We don't know where to go yet," he said.

What is known is that there isn't a single location on Guam that will meet all of the military's training needs, Lee said, so the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas also is being considered for training. "The CNMI is an active part of this whole process," he said.

Task force member Tony Lamorena, who is director of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans, expressed concerns that a military-related report being prepared for Guam by a federally funded consultant appears to be written from the military's perspective, and not the perspective of the people of Guam.

Lamorena said the draft white paper by consultant KPMG is critical of the island's water and power agencies and its port, stating that they fail to meet the military's requirements.

Lamorena said the report instead should identity the community's needs and how those needs might be adversely affected by the military buildup.