Competition With China is Very Much Real: Naval Base Guam Commander

"We are in competition and the competition is very much real with China," says Naval Base Guam Commander Capt. Jeffrey Grimes. He acknowledged the growing regional influence of China.

Grimes said China's forces are expanding their influence and capabilities. Highlighting the South China Sea, he said the Chinese have created islands and militarized it. "The country has also made diplomatic in-roads throughout Micronesia. The Pacific is where it's at, and Guam's role is very critical. We are basically the 911 force."

The Commander said Guam is providing stability within the region. "The focus is never to fight. But in order to ensure that we never fight, we need to be ready, that if we fight, we will win." Grimes said the strategic fuel reserve on Naval Base Guam is 60 million gallons. He expressed concerns about the base having submarine force but no 'nuclear'. "At Naval Magazine there are more than 100 separate storage bunkers in which a 'good portion of our nation's warfighting weapons' are stored," Grimes said Guam also serves as a communications hub for the Navy throughout the region. "We have to be ready but at the same time, we have to be good citizens and stewards of our community. I care about the community I am serving. We save lives."

Grimes also highlighted the benefit of the military in terms of the economy. Military personnel on assignment or training missions booked 77,840 room nights in island hotels in 2018, and Naval Base Guam personnel took out 1,983 leases for homes or apartments.