Marines and Sailors from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands pose with Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz leadership on MCB Camp Blaz, Aug. 22, 2024. Several Marines and Sailors originally born and raised on the islands of Guam and the CNMI have returned to the Marianas and are an integral part of laying the foundation for MCB Camp Blaz. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Little)
Several Marines and Sailors originally born and raised on the islands of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands have returned to the Marianas and are an integral part of laying the foundation for Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz. From the communication and administrative sections, to logistics, these Marines and Sailors are serving at every level of the installation, employing their unique talents and trades to support installation functions and future force flow.
Sgt. Daniel Ascura, a network administrator with Camp Blaz, was born and raised on Guam in the village of Santa Rita and has taken great pride in being able to serve not only his country, but his home as well.
“[Being home] means everything,” said Ascura. “The transformation everybody talks about after Recruit Training is something families on island don’t get to see too often, so I am happy to come out and help the vision come true.”
The Marines’ motto is Semper Fidelis ‘always faithful’ and they are always faithful to their community, whether it be a different state, a different territory, or a different country, and being able to serve in their home brings a higher level of pride.
Hospital Corpsman First Class Roy Chan, a corpsman with MCB Camp Blaz, was raised in Dededo, Guam. Chan spent his entire tour of duty in the Navy overseas, but with so much time away from Guam, coming back home to serve was special.
“This has been a great opportunity for me to directly show to my friends and family how serving has and is impacting my life,” said Chan. “They can see how I conduct myself at social events and the different activities I’m involved with, like being more physically active and getting more involved with volunteering. I also enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience of the island with the people I work with by talking about the food, culture, and different activities around the island.”
With so many opportunities to serve in Guam, local Camp Blaz servicemembers take pride in teaching their culture to the Marines, Sailors, and their families who are experiencing Guam for the first time.
Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Reyes, a data systems chief, was born and raised on Saipan and he jumped on the opportunity to work at Camp Blaz.
“Ultimately, it was about getting closer to home,” said Reyes. “I was super excited. I have four kids of my own, and at this point in my life it’s about giving back.”
“Come out and join us,” said Chan. “Work will always be challenging, but with the development of the different military branches on the island, this is a once in a lifetime experience to be a part of this build up. The island itself is an experience.”
With such a long and rich history, the CHamoru, Carolinian, and Guamanian locals take a great pride in their heritage and island homes, and these Camp Blaz Marines and Sailors have had the unique opportunity to return to the region and serve.
