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SECNAV: Guam Strategically Vital to Navy's Mission

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090825-13
Release Date: 8/25/2009 4:41:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Rebekah Blowers, Secretary of the Navy Public Affairs

GUAM (NNS) -- The secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) visited Guam and Saipan Aug. 23-24 to familiarize himself with Department of the Navy assets, talk with Sailors and Marines, the local business community and senior government and military leadership.

Ray Mabus, SECNAV, met with Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho and military leadership about issues concerning the region. He also took an aerial tour of Saipan before landing to meet with Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Gov. Repeki Benigno Fitial.

Mabus also met with the Island Knights of HSC-25 and reminded them of the strategic importance of Guam and that their work does not go unnoticed.

"Thank you from a very grateful, appreciative nation for what you do every single day," Mabus said. We're doing a job that the people in the United States don't see very much. They don't understand the importance of your mission. Whether you're in the deserts of Afghanistan or Iraq, whether you are here in Guam, whether you are operating off of one of our ships at sea, you're doing one of the most vital, most important missions we have."

The secretary emphasized the strategic importance of Guam in the Pacific and thanked them for their contributions to the Navy and the nation.

"Guam has always been important strategically as a part of the United States. The people of Guam have always been among the most patriotic people in America. They enlist in the American armed forces at a higher per capita rate than any other state in our union.
One of the things that Guam gives us is a lot more flexibility in terms of strategic deployment of our assets," Mabus said.

This is the secretary's first trip to Guam and Saipan since taking office in May. He will also visit several bases in Japan and Korea during his two-week tour of the Pacific.

For more news from Secretary of the Navy, visit www.navy.mil/secnav/index.asp.