Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said yesterday that he will make a priority the establishment of a U.S. National Guard in the CNMI. The National Guard is part of the reserve components of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a radio news briefing, Torres said he realized the importance of having a National Guard in the CNMI during this COVID-19 pandemic as almost all the states and Guam have National Guard units. <\/p>\n
He believes only the CNMI and American Samoa don\u2019t have National Guard units and the CNMI was disenfranchised when the directive came out to activate one during pandemic. Nevertheless, Torres said, the CNMI worked through it because it has good community and leadership from the COVID-19 Task Force and Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. <\/p>\n
He disclosed that he met last Friday with Maj. Gen. Brian Neal, who has been handling the National Guard. <\/p>\n
The governor said he wrote a letter a couple of years ago to the National Guard, making a request to create one in the CNMI whether it be Air National Guard or Army National Guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s time for us to really make that a priority as a government, as a community. We\u2019re seeing the divert airfield project on Tinian. We\u2019re seeing the [U.S.] Department of Defense partnership in strengthening here in the CNMI and understanding that our role in the Pacific plays a national security,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Torres said he is not asking for a huge National Guard unit, but something to start, whether it be 20 or 30 individuals. \u201cBut at this point, I want to emphasize that we do need a National Guard here in the CNMI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Torres cited the CNMI\u2019s experience during super typhoons Soudelor and Yutu, and Typhoon Mangkhut, in which the Commonwealth was able to get some help from Guam and Hawaii National Guards. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo I hope that in the next few months, we\u2019ll have more update on the National Guard. \u2026I would like to make that a priority for the administration,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Torres said that based on his conversations with Neal, he feels they understand the importance of the National Guard here.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s looking very positive. They support the movement of having a National Guard. And I\u2019ve emphasized this partnership about DOD,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Torres said it\u2019s not just humanitarian issue, but if any issues on the side of the world arises, the CNMI should able to assist and have its own protection, and as well as to help the defense in any way that the Commonwealth can. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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