An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : Media : News : News Article View
NEWS | Jan. 26, 2023

Marine Corps Reactivates Base on Guam

By Taylor Massey Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz

ASAN BEACH, GUAM -- The U.S. Marine Corps reactivated a new base on Guam in a ceremony, Jan. 26, honoring the long-shared history of the Marine Corps and Guam and establishing a forward presence in the Indo-Pacific that will endure into the future.

Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz is the first newly constructed Marine Corps base in 70 years and serves as a testament to the U.S.-Japan alliance. Guam was chosen as the location for the new base during the 2012 Bilateral Agreement between the U.S and Japanese governments, under the Defense Policy Review Initiative, which set the framework for the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam. The base is named in honor of Brigadier General Vicente Tomas “Ben” Garrido Blaz, the first CHamorro Marine to attain the rank of general officer.

“Today is an important day that marks the future of the Marines on Guam, and it is also a day to reflect on the century-long history of the Marine Corps in this beautiful place we call home,” said Col. Christopher Bopp, Commanding Officer, MCB Camp Blaz. “On this island Marines and their CHamoru brethren have lived in peace and fought in war together and we are proud to carry on this legacy of honor and courage.”

Guam’s history is marked by the enduring partnership between the U.S. military and the people of Guam. Since the establishment of Marine Barracks Guam in 1899, the Marine Corps has had a nearly continuous presence on Guam. The Marine Barracks was reactivated after World War II and deactivated November 10, 1992.

During the ceremony at War in the Pacific National Historical Park, honors were rendered to the Honorable Lou Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam; Commandant of the Marine Corps; U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environmental; Japanese Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense and Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs provided remarks. The ceremony ended with a traditional pass and review.

“I believe that on the horizon lies the opportunities that Ben (Blaz) wished for our people,” said the Honorable Leon Guerrero. “No longer are we dealing with challenges and isolation, we are cultivating a more sustainable and comprehensive Indo-Pacific allyship. The future of Guam is inseparable from the future of the broader Indo-Pacific and the success of the Marines is inseparable from the success of Guam’s people. Together we are an island and an ocean united; together we are always better and always stronger; together we are always faithful. Semper Fidelis.”

Situated on Guam’s northern plateau, Camp Blaz will serve as a strategic hub as the Department of Defense realizes the vision of the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The base construction projects currently underway are partially funded by a large monetary contribution from the Government of Japan.

“Forward, persistent presence is key to the regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is a critical part of that. More than that, it shows our undivided relationship with the Government of Japan,” said the Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David H. Berger.

Camp Blaz represents a significant milestone for the future of both the Marine Corps and Guam. The base’s forward presence and engagement in the Pacific will play an essential role in strengthening the ability of the U.S. and its allies and partners for a collective defense and to promote regional security.

“The Japan and U.S. alliance is the cornerstone of the people, the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and the linchpin of Japan’s foreign policy,” said Ms. Yoshikawa Yuumi, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The Marine Corps is committed to upholding the legacy of Brig. Gen. Blaz’s, prioritizing environmental and cultural stewardship, and building on the established relationships with the people of Guam remains integral in all aspects of development of this installation.

“It is right here, today, that we come together to demonstrate the power of partnership and the importance of community,” said the Honorable Mrs. Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment.

CONNECT WITH USINDOPACOM
Facebook

Like Us
Twitter
354,891
Follow Us

ENGAGE & CONNECT MORE WITH PACOM

                                                 

IN THE USINDOPACOM NEWS
Secretary of Defense, United Kingdom and Australian Counterparts to Host Joint Press Briefing
Dec. 1, 2023 - Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III is scheduled to hold a joint press briefing with the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Australia, and the Right Honourable Grant Shapps,...

Guam Air Guard upgrades Andersen Air Force Base
Staff Sgt. Bryant Contreras of the 254th Red Horse Squadron, Guam Air National Guard, “sweats” an HVAC copper pipe on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Nov. 27, 2023. Contreras is activated with a group of 30 Guam Guardsmen tasked to restore 50 homes for rotational forces in Guam. (U.S. National Guard photo by Mark Scott)
Dec. 1, 2023 - Engineers from the 254th Red Horse Squadron, Guam National Guard, are working to restore 50 uninhabited houses to livable conditions on Andersen Air Force Base...

USCGC Frederick Hatch concludes historic patrol with engagements in the Philippines, fisheries enforcement in Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea
The USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) conducts joint fisheries boardings with members of the Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority and the Customs Service in the Papua New Guinea exclusive economic zone on Nov. 6, 2023. The crew successfully concluded a routine 47-day expeditionary patrol covering more than 8,200 nautical miles under Operation Blue Pacific, returning to Guam on Thanksgiving, distinguished by a series of historic and strategic engagements across the Western Pacific and Oceania. The Frederick Hatch is the 43rd 154-foot Sentinel-class fast response cutter named for a surfman and lighthouse keeper who was a two-time Gold Life Saving Medal recipient. They regularly patrol Oceania, fostering international cooperation and supporting maritime safety, security, and stewardship. (U.S Coast Guard photo)
Nov. 30, 2023 - The USCGC Frederick Hatch (WPC 1143) successfully concluded a routine 47-day expeditionary patrol covering more than 8,200 nautical miles under Operation Blue Pacific, returning to Guam on Thanksgiving, distinguished by a...

51st FW soars with allies in CS23
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron returns from Commando Sling 23 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Nov. 27, 2023. The 36th FS flew 60 sorties, consisting of basic fighter maneuvers, air combat maneuvers, defensive counter air and offensive counter air sorties, integrating with various Republic of Singapore Air Force fighter squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Trevor Gordnier)
Nov. 30, 2023 - U.S. Air Force pilots and maintainers assigned to the 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, participated in Commando Sling 23, a PACAF-sponsored field training exercise at Paya Lebar Air Base, Singapore, Nov...

Japan, Republic of Korea, U.S. Navies Conduct Trilateral Maritime Exercise
231126-N-IW069-1072 AT SEA (Nov. 26, 2023) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Murasame-class destroyer JS Kirisame (DD 104), and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) Sejong the Great-class guided-missile destroyer Sejong the Great (DDG-991) sail together during a trilateral maritime exercise. The exercise provided the JMSDF, ROKN and U.S. Navy an opportunity to sail together, conduct enhanced planning and advanced maritime communication operations to bolster their warfighting readiness and deterrence capabilities. Vinson, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE, is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaiah M. Williams)
Nov. 29, 2023 - The U.S. Navy’s Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 conducted a trilateral maritime exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), Nov. 26...