Senator to Marines: Does Guam move make sense?
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz has recently asked if the Marines' relocation to Guam still makes sense. During a Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing in Washington, D.C., on May 1, Schatz sought an update from Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller on the relocation of more than 4,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
“We’ve said, and the Marine Corps and my predecessors have always said we’re content to go to Guam if we have decent, acceptable quality of life which I believe we will with the current plan; that we get the lift to be able to move to (conduct) different training venues; and we have a place to go to train that is within the vicinity, particular in the Northern Marianas island chain,” Neller testified.
The Marine commandant said discussions about the environmental impact the Marines' relocation will have on the island “have yet to be played out.”
He also explained that high-speed vessels or other platforms could be used to move forces in the general area or strategic lift aircraft or amphibious forces from Japan or the west coast of the United States could pick up Marines from Guam.
Read more: https://www.postguam.com/news/local/senator-to-marines-does-guam-move-make-sense/article_ebdf720a-70a2-11e9-9585-37033c07129b.html