The Military and Guam

As fits the irony that defines much of Guam, the beach we discovered this weekend may now be threatened by the US military's plans to move much of the Marine base on Okinawa to Guam.  But, first some quick background.

Guamanians are fiercely loyal American citizens.  Their experience before and after World War II, when their tolerant paradise was turned into a virtual slave camp by the Japanese occupation, and the subsequent liberation by American troops, has led to Guam having the highest rate of voluntary military enlistment of any American state or protectorate.  The rate of enrollment is not just higher than any other state, it's almost twice as high.  Of course, part of this is driven by economics, but most of it is out of a true sense of loyalty.

But the relationship with the military bases on Guam has always been more complicated, beginning with the re-occupation of Guam in 1944.  Guam was retaken in July of 1944, and in December of that year, there were race riots between occupying white and black soldiers in Agana, resulting in multiple deaths.  This was shocking to the tolerant sensibilities of the Chamorro and other Guamanians.

After World War II, Guam became a key strategic asset for the American military, and Guam itself was, in effect, a military colony until 1950, when the Guam Organic Act passed Congress and Guam became an official unincorporated organized territory of the United States, and Guamanians became U.S. citizens.  But Guam's road to self-government was still dominated by the military as Guam's governor, until 1970, was actually appointed de facto by the military.  Not until 1970 was Guam allowed to elect its own governor.

And, although the footprint of the military on Guam has shrunk in the last 20 years, it has left behind issues of contaminated water, land, and air.  Guam's water supply is a typical example: the water provided by GovGuam's system conforms to all EPA standards.  But in the south of the island, much of the water is provided by the U.S. Navy's system and their water quality has often been frequently out of compliance with EPA standards.  Guam's rate of diseases tied to environmental contaminants (various cancers and chronic conditions) are significantly higher than on the mainland, and the incidents of these diseases increases in the areas closest to the military installations.  While this correlation by no means provides proof of causation, it is certainly a major concern for many Guamanians.

The U.S. military presence on Okinawa has been a political thorn in the side of the Japanese for many years.  Okinawa, unlike Micronesia, has always been ethnic Japanese, and the continuing presence of a major U.S. military installation on Okinawa has created significant problems in the Japanese-American political alliance.  Instances of rapes and even murders committed by U.S. military personnel on Okinawa have created terrific tension.

Over the past five years, the Japanese and American governments have negotiated a series of compromises that call for removing a significant portion of the U.S. military presence on Okinawa, and moving the Marine base there to Guam.  The initial plan, which called for relocating 8,000 Marines and 10,000 dependents from Okinawa, was scaled back because of serious public concern on Guam about the impact.  Infrastructure services on Guam are fragile to begin with; roads, power grid, sanitation, etc. move from financial crisis to environmental crisis too frequently.  The military does not provide adequate impact funding, and the additional pressure on island housing resources would likely drive up the already high cost of living on the island for non-military personnel.  And, promised impact funding from the military is ultimately up to Congress and Guam has much previous negative experience with Congress failing to keep funding promises.  Additionally, military personnel have access to the military PX system, which provides groceries and necessities to military personnel at significantly lower prices as the merchandise is not subject to Guam's GRT taxes.  Thus, a double whammy for Guam: no tax revenue from military personnel purchases, and no military purchase money entering the local economy.

Thus, the irony of the new plan, which endangers the most pristine wildlife refuge remaining on Guam.  And the military's history of stewardship of the Guam environment has been terrible;  from Wikipedia:

"In March 2009, the base (Anderson Air Force Base) announced that it would look into allegations by a whistleblower of environmental violations within the protected area of the base (Ritidian). The allegations include poaching, illegal trapping of coconut crabs and resale of trophy deer, and paving beaches and stripping vegetation used for nesting by endangered hawksbill turtles and green sea turtles.  Public Employees for Environmental REsponsibility (PEER)  stated that, "The Air Force program for protecting Guam's natural resources has utterly broken down." The Department of Defense Inspector General (DOD IG) determined that the Air Force responses to the PEER allegations adequately addressed the issues raised. Consequently, DoD IG determined further investigation was not warranted."

Note the results of the investigation: the Department of Defense is its own watchdog; no agency on Guam, or, for that matter, outside of the military (i.e., the EPA) has any authority over the Department of Defense.  Thus, Guamanians are understandably skeptical of the continued military stewardship of environmental resources.  And, thus, one of Guam's crown jewels of natural beauty is endangered.