In his lecture at the University of Guam, Lynn defended the department’s decision to choose Pagat site as the location for a firing range. He said, however, this is one issue where the local community and the military must find a mutual ground.
“I think the decision on Pagat is going to be the most difficult decision that we have in this realignment; certainly becoming the most emotional,” said Lynn, who was UOG President Robert Underwood’s eighth guest in his presidential lecture series.
“To do what the Marines do, they have to train and that training involves weapons. So we’re going to have to find a location on Guam to allow the Marines to train,” he said.
“Clearly we need to do that in a way that takes account of local concerns and particularly takes account of the Chamorro cultural heritage. So we need to work together with the government of Guam to find a solution that both meets the Marines’ needs but does so in a way that’s appropriately respectful of the cultural heritage of this island,” Lynn said.
He said though small arms weapons training must also occur in the outer-lying islands that surround Guam, the Marines must have a firing range on island to be able to train in weapons artillery.
Despite protests from the local community, Lynn said Pagat will remain the choice for a firing range to be built within, as identified in the final environmental impact study.
Lynn defended the department’s decision in response to a question from the crowd: “Do you consider Arlington Cemetery a sacred location? Why then would the military claim a firing range in sacred Pagat where ancestors are buried?”
Lynn emphasized the importance of Guam’s strategic location, which he said plays a crucial role in maintaining peace in the Pacific region.
He noted that Asia and the Pacific encompass over half the world’s surface and that five of the seven bilateral agreements the US has are with nations in Asia.
“Without question the rise of Asia in economic and military terms is the most significant change in the strategic environment to the United States,” Lynn said.
He said because of its central position in a region of global importance, Guam is an integral part of a secure Pacific region.
