Brig. General Philip M. Ruhlman, commander of the 36th Wing, Installation Commander and Base Commanding Officer of Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and other military officials, made the message during a briefing with local lawmakers.
“I think if there’s a disaster in the region, I have to put a mobility response with that medical capability and set up an emergency hospital to take care of the region,” said Ruhlman.
He said there’s a “potential requirement” to use the airfield in the CNMI by the U.S. Air Force should a very serious emergency situation arise.
It is important to be prepared in any contingency, said the U.S. Air Force general, who also serves as the deputy commander of the Joint Region Marianas, said.
Ruhlman also said the U.S. Air Force can conduct simulation exercises in Guam and the CNMI’s airspace within the range of the Federal Aviation Administration.
In the absence of a concrete program, Ruhlman is optimistic that the CNMI will have a role in the military buildup in Guam, saying there’s a lot to be done before the 8,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan are moved to Guam.
Sen. Joseph Mendiola, Covenant-Tinian, said since the Guam military buildup program cropped up they have not seen any development.
But Ruhlman said there are no training ranges in Guam, especially for the higher caliber weapon.
Senate President Pete P. Reyes, R-Saipan, and House Speaker Arnold Palacios, R-Saipan, described Ruhlman’s briefing as very informative.
Reyes said the U.S. military is yet to present the concrete role of the CNMI in the military buildup but he is confident that as soon as it’s completed lawmakers can review it.
“I am confident that as the plan develops they will be showing it to us,” he said.
Ruhlman said the military is looking into the perfect location for the training sites in Pagan Island and Tinian but they are also concerned about their activities’ environmental impact.
For his part, Palacios said the Marines have no reason to move to Guam if they don’t have trainings and exercises.
