Calvo spoke at great length to Undersecretary of the Navy Robert Work, who assured him the buildup will happen. The discussion centered on the recent news regarding the realignment of military personnel and assets from Okinawa to Guam.
“Recently, there has been a lot of discussion on proposed plans that have caused some concern in the community. I want to be clear: Despite all the talk, there will be a buildup on Guam. The Department of Defense is committed to it,” Calvo said. “No one knows for certain how the buildup plans will change — not Congress, not the Obama administration, not the military. To speculate at this point is misleading and misguided.”
Calvo was told that due to the fiscal realities in Washington, D.C., DOD is reassessing the entire East Asian realignment strategy to make it more cost effective. DOD is currently facing a $400 billion budget cut in the near future.
At present, the secretary of Defense is updating the master plan for Guam’s military buildup, to assess the true cost of the plan. Calvo insisted that proposed infrastructure and socio-economic improvements for Guam’s civilian population must be incorporated into the master plan. Undersecretary Work agreed the inclusion is vital to meet the secretary of Defense’s direction to receive a plan that includes the total cost of the buildup.
“These projects will be considered by the military and be an integral part of this buildup,” Calvo said. “The Department of Defense knows any change for Guam must be for the better, and these proposals will ensure our people benefit from their plans to move military personnel to the island.”
Guam’s proposal includes improvements to education, public safety, public health, the sea port, and airport, and includes, but isn’t limited to: new schools; expansion to the Guam Memorial Hospital and other health facilities; a new Guam Police Department headquarters; 16 new water wells; a Central Regional Public Health Clinic; and new school buses.
