Increased military presence on Tinian eyed

A ranking official of the U.S. Navy said yesterday that there are plans to beef up military training on Tinian.

Rear Admiral Arthur J. Johnson, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Marianas, said, however, that it would be premature to discuss the possibility of a military buildup on that island. He also added that none of the plans have been finalized yet.

Johnson also disclosed that he had met with the Commonwealth Ports Authority to talk about increasing port calls by Navy ships on the islands.

Johnson spoke before local businessmen in a membership meeting of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce at the Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Sandcastle yesterday.

He briefly discussed how technology has improved the military’s capability without concentrating the bulk of its manpower in an area of concern, but said that its operations, logistics and training have been increasing in the Marianas.

“In all areas, I see nothing but increasing [presence],” Johnson said. He also said the military wants to increase joint and multilateral training with allied countries, including the Philippines, Australia, Brunei, and Singapore, among others.

Johnson visited the CNMI and met with local and federal officials to discuss about the military’s “future plans.” He also visited Tinian Tuesday.

The military currently controls about 30 percent of the landmass of Tinian, maintaining its leasehold of over 7,628 acres of public land. The military leases about 178 acres of public land on Saipan, while maintaining leasehold over the Farallon de Mendinilla Island, where it frequently conducts bombing exercises.

Johnson’s visit—his first to the CNMI—came about amid earlier news reports saying that the Marianas region would soon become the United States’ power hub on the edge of Asia as the Pentagon increases military presence on Guam.

Several B-52 Stratofortress bombers had flown to the Andersen Air Force base from Minot, North Dakota, while a nuclear-powered attack submarine—the third to make Guam its homeport since 2002—would arrive on the U.S. territory this year, according to a report in the New York Times.

The report said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld wanted to build up the nation’s military strength on Guam, as the U.S. government decides on closing up other military bases next year. Guam is home to the Andersen Air Force Base and the Naval Forces Marianas headquarters.

It also noted that various movements in military logistics and construction activities have been going on, which could indicate that Guam is gearing up to become one of the country’s major military hub.

Johnson said that the USS Houston submarine would be arriving on Guam soon. He also disclosed the recent formation of the Mobile Security Squadron Seven on the federal territory, an elite group tasked to protect critical assets.

Johnson also told businessmen of the tremendous economic impact the military has been bringing to Guam, citing a total of about $1.1 billion in Navy and Air Force expenditure in Fiscal Year 2002. “I think the trend is in the upswing and it will continue.”