Photos by Guam National Guard: The Guam National Guard's Task Force Fanacho relinquishes the security mission for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense site in Guam on April 7. TF Fanacho was replaced by TF Phalanx at a Transfer of Authority Ceremony today, after months of conducting a successful mission. ()
Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio attended a Transfer of Authority ceremony today in Yigo, as the Guam National Guard's Task Force Fanacho was officially replaced by Task Force Phalanx at the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, site.
The THAAD is an anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to protect Guam from incoming ballistic missiles in their terminal (descent or re-entry) phase.
"It's incredible. They work together like family, they're always positive and highly motivated, and they care about protecting their homeland," said Col. Matthew W. Dalton, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade Commander, in his remarks.
Task Force Fanacho has served under the leadership of Capt. Pete Sakisat and 1st Sgt. Tommy Taitano for the past months. They will spend the next few weeks training Task Force Phalanx, led by Capt. Jin Yi and Sgt. 1st Class Richard Galvez.
"Pete and Fanacho did an incredible job, and we look forward to taking the reins and doing our part to protect our island," said Yi. "We are primarily Engineers, so we have plans to make some physical improvements and leave it even better than we found it."
(Left) Capt. Jin Yi, commander of the Guam National Guard's Task Force Phalanx, left, assumes responsibility for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile site security mission during a Transfer of Authority ceremony in Guam on April 7. (Right) From left, Col. Michael Cruz, assistant adjutant general, Maj. Gen. (GU) Esther Aguigui, adjutant general, and Noel Enriquez, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army, attend a Transfer of Authority ceremony for the Guam National Guard's Security Forces mission at the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile site in Guam on April 7.
(Left) Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio, right, renders a salute to an outgoing member of the Guam National Guard's Task Force Fanacho during a Transfer of Authority ceremony at the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile site in Guam on April 7. TF Fanacho will be replaced by the incoming TF Phalanx, composed mainly from the 1224th Engineer Support Company of the Guam National Guard. (Right) Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, middle, thanks Sgt. Joboy San Nicolas of the Guam National Guard's Task Force Fanacho for a job well done guarding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile site in Guam on April 7. TF Fanacho was replaced by TF Phalanx during a Transfer of Authority ceremony today, after serving most of last year on the mission.
