The government in Guam needs more and better projections regarding personnel increases that will come as the Defense Department expands its presence there, according to an Oct. 14 report by the Government Accountability Office. Expansion plans call for military presence on the Pacific island territory to grow to 39,000 in 2020, up from the present 15,000. Most military personnel there are now stationed at Naval Base Guam and Anderson Air Force Base. The added personnel will largely consist of Marine units, which will relocate there from Okinawa, Japan. The GAO report noted that DoD and the Guam government have already begun planning for the influx, with a master plan reflecting its environmental and socioeconomic impact, due early next year. Key factors – such as how many local citizens will be needed in permanent and temporary jobs, and what types of jobs they will have to fill – are needed soon, the report states, in order to ensure that the transition goes smoothly.
