U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Andrew King ()
DEDEDO, Guam – U.S. Marines and civilian volunteers from Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz partnered with the Dededo Mayor’s Office to revitalize a bus stop across from Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Guam, Sept. 27 - Oct. 20, 2021.
MCB Camp Blaz partnered with the Dededo Mayor’s Office to paint the bus stop across from its current home on NCTS Guam as one of its island beautification projects. The solid-blue bus stop was in disarray, often surrounded by trash and spray-painted with graffiti markings on the back.
Uriah Perez, MCB Camp Blaz community liaison specialist, expressed his love for Guam and the importance of island beautification while working on the project. “Opportunities to support and beautify the villages Marines live, work, and train in are important to the mission of the Marine Corps,” said Perez. “These efforts help build enduring partnerships with village mayors and local leaders and allow us to give back to the island and its community.”
After cleaning the bus stop and removing trash in the surrounding area, the volunteers began painting the bus stop. The design incorporates the Marine Corps colors of blue, red, and gold, featuring a four-color illustration of the late U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Vicente “Ben” Thomas Garrido Blaz on the back that the base gets its namesake from.
“I love it! It just brightens up our community,” said Dededo Mayor Melissa B. Savares. “Ben Blaz is a local guy who made a difference and left an impact not just on Guam but on the whole world. He served as a Marine and we’re proud that he’s depicted here.”
Blaz is the first minority general officer in the Marine Corps and remains the highest-ranking CHamoru to have served in the Corps to date. Blaz is a survivor of the Japanese occupation of Guam and later commanded 9th Marines, one of the regiments that liberated the island in 1944. After retirement, he served for four terms as Guam’s delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Community service and volunteer events allow service members to build and foster positive relationships and give back to the community. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz supports several volunteer and community service events throughout the year to help improve the quality of life and environment for everyone who calls Guam home.
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Photo Caption: Volunteers with the Dededo Mayor’s Office paint a bus stop located across from Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station (NCTS) Guam, Oct. 20, 2021. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz partnered with the Dededo Mayor’s Office to paint the bus stop across from its current home on NCTS Guam as one of its island beautification Projects. Community service and volunteer events allow service members to build and foster relationships with the community while also giving back to it.
