Naval Base Guam Offers Insight, Updates at Town Hall Meeting

By Jesse Leon Guerrero, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas Public Affairs

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors, civilian personnel and residents who live or work at U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) learned more about policies and upcoming projects that may affect them at a town hall meeting held on base Sept. 8.

The evening event attracted dozens of Navy housing residents and NBG employees and service providers.

Capt. Richard Wood, commanding officer of NBG, led the presentations, which were his first since assuming command in July 2010.

"I'm responsible for providing services to everyone on this base, so I want to make sure that we're hearing what people want and need," said Wood. "I've done that with tenant commands and I want to do that with families as well."

Wood said supporting the fleet, the warfighters and families is his main priority and his goal is to make Guam a destination of choice through enhancement of the mission readiness, safety and quality of life for Sailors, civilian staff and families. Upcoming projects include adding more sidewalks for pedestrians, renovating the Sumay Cove Marina area and opening the new fitness center and Irish-themed restaurant and pub, Molly McGee's.

"It's important that people understand the importance of Guam in our nation's defense posture, because, other than Hawaii, this is the only sovereign territory in the United States of America in the Western Pacific. That's a very important role that this island plays," said Wood.

Capt. Kevin Haws, commanding officer of U.S. Naval Hospital Guam, and Jeff Arrington, assistant superintendent for Department of Defense Education Activities (DoDEA), also spoke to the audience.

Arrington encouraged parents to visit the DoDEA schools' open house events and to make use of their offline and online learning resources. Haws spoke about the hospital's primary and specialty care access, ancillary services, Tricare, vaccines and new hospital construction plans.



Haws said he expects the new hospital to break ground in a couple months and construction is scheduled to be complete in about four years.

"We're going to go from a building that was designed and built in 1954, mostly for inpatients to a hospital, that will include inpatient care, but a lot of the primary services that we currently have in the hospital are going to be pushed out to new, more robust and capable branch clinics that we're going to build in the next several years," said Haws.

Following the presentations, attendees asked questions about Navy Exchange's indentification policy, housing and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) projects.

Eric Nikkel, MWR director, said the town hall was a good opportunity to hear directly from customers about how well MWR is satisfying their needs. Nikkel said everyone can look forward to improvements such as the Irish pub, which is scheduled to open with specialty beers and customized meals Oct. 29.

"We're going to take whole prime ribs, and we're going to carve eight-ounce rib eyes," said Nikkel. "Basically, it's one steak made 10 ways. Do you want it blackened, do you want it peppered, do you want blue cheese on it, do you want Bourbon mushroom gravy on it, do you want sautéed onions? Our hamburgers are the same thing."

Kayl Ludwig, a Navy spouse and an Apra Palms housing resident who has lived on Guam for two years, said she was interested in learning about Charles King Gym's proposal for drop-in day care services for its patrons. She added the town hall was a positive experience because she also learned by listening to what other residents had to say.

"This is my first town hall meeting and I thought, 'Why haven't I come to these before,'" said Ludwig. "It's very informative, and I like the fact that all the sponsors are here to answer questions, from housing to MWR to the CDC (Child Development Center) to the CO (commanding officer)."

Representatives from Fleet and Family Support Center, Family Support 360, the hospital, NBG Safety and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society handed out brochures and manned booths, where attendees could learn more about specific benefits and services.

Alfi Montilla, a Navy spouse who has only been on Guam for two months, appreciated the town hall as a convenient way to meet different people and hear what they had to offer.

"We've got a lot to learn about Guam," Montilla said. "I wanted to get any kind of information that can benefit me and my husband, and then we can pass that along."

Chief Hospital Corpsman (DSW/SW) Ralph Hirschfeld, of NBG Dive Locker, said he didn't have a specific issue in mind when he decided to attend, but he did want to stay aware of the many changes planned by the Navy. As a resident of Lockwood Housing, Hirschfeld said it was good to hear of a possible new Navy Exchange mini-mart, and he would attend any future town hall meetings.

"If you don't attend, don't complain," Hirschfeld said. "This is your chance to voice your concerns to the CO and CMC (command master chief) of the base."