Force Structure Modernization to Support the Defense of Guam and the
Marianas
By CW4 Christopher Iwashita, Guam Army National Guard
| Warrant Officer
Journal, January-March 2024 Edition
Read Time:
< 7 mins
The People’s Republic of China (PRC), often called the pacing threat of the
United States of America, remains focused on its aspirations for dominance
in the INDOPACIFIC region. The PRC’s overall growth and persistent actions
in all domains against the U.S. and our allies pose significant challenges
in the area, so much so that it is the focus of the U.S. National Defense
Strategy (NDS) and National Security Strategy (NSS). The Island of Guam is
the most strategically located U.S. Territory in the INDO-PACIFIC region. It
is in the second island chain in the Pacific Ocean and, since 1945, has
provided the U.S. with a location to project land, air, and sea power. Guam
is home to about 170,000 American citizens from all branches of military
service, including family members, DOD civilians, and most importantly, the
indigenous people who call Guam home. For the safety and security of U.S.
possessions and its people and to prepare the most significant Army
footprint on the island for Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) against a
formidable threat, the National Guard Bureau needs to support the immediate
force structure implementation for air defense and cyber capabilities for
the Guam Army National Guard (GUARNG) to support the defense of Guam and the
Marianas, force modernization, and increased readiness in a multi-domain
environment in the INDO-PACIFIC region.
The Guam Army National Guard leadership has great aspirations as the primary
defenders of our island. From an ethical, moral, and legal view, our
obligations to the U.S. Constitution and the oath we swore to protect
America from our enemies are paramount to us as a people and as Soldiers
from Guam. We hold the safety and security of our island and people close to
our hearts, and we know the needs of the U.S. do not outweigh the needs of
our island. We want to be known as the generation who did the most to
protect our land, culture, traditions, and people in case of conflict. In
the NDS, Guam is specifically mentioned numerous times under the topic of
Homeland Missile Defense, stating that if Guam or any other U.S. Territory
is attacked, it is considered an attack on the homeland, and the U.S. will
respond appropriately.
Additionally, Guam is an essential operating base, home to crucial regional
power projection platforms and logistical nodes. Finally, the buildup of
Guam’s missile defense will be a crucial component of integrated deterrence
and bolster U.S. strategy in the region (U.S. Department of Defense, 2022).
Convincing the Army to support force structure changes to our organization
directly supports the NDS if GUARNG can gain air defense and cyber
capabilities. Our largest unit is an Infantry Battalion, which is authorized
685 positions over five units and has never met 100% of the assigned
strength. It is currently at about 90% filled, including Soldiers who are
pending discharge or under a category called NOVAL, which identifies
Soldiers who have not attended drill assemblies for over nine periods. By
consolidating Soldiers from the five units into three infantry units,
gaining an air defense artillery unit, and refocusing recruiting efforts
against the new unit, our organization would significantly improve our
overall posture to defend the island against a potential attack by the
adversary. In a Congressional Review of the Air Defense Artillery force
structure in 2020, the Army has proposed that the Army National Guard
receive three Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) units to defend
against fixed and semi-fixed assets at the corps and division levels
(Feikert, 2020).
Furthermore, the Army Structure Memorandum 2025-2029 (ARSTRUC) published on
February 27, 2024, indicated the activation of four Active-Duty Indirect
Fire Protection (IFP) battalions and one Patriot/ IFPC composite battalion
amongst other units in support of the defense of Guam (U.S. Department of
the Army, 2024). Since the Patriot unit is activating in Guam, an argument
can be made that creating these positions under the Guam Army National Guard
force structure makes more sense. Recruiting the patriotic residents of Guam
into those positions could save time, money, and logistics for the military.
Guam National Guard Soldiers would not be required to rotate in and out of
Guam as the unit would be organic to Guam. Again, residents of Guam would
proudly serve in this unit, knowing they would play a crucial role in the
defense of Guam.
Regarding missile defense, specifically the Iron Dome, Total Army Analysis
already supported efforts to acquire more missile defense capabilities,
namely, the Iron Dome, of which the U.S. has already received two from
Israel. One Iron Dome was deployed and tested in 2021 in Guam by the 2-43
Air Defense Artillery Battalion out of Fort Bliss. Although the Iron Dome
test was met with some pushback by the community, the capabilities displayed
by the defense system proved that Guam would ultimately be protected more
than if they had to rely on just the THAAD battery currently stationed in
Guam. The Iron Dome was tested to validate successful integration into THAAD
architecture to make it work towards a more layered defense (Olson, 2022).
Guam is a patriotic land rich in America’s beliefs of freedom and
prosperity. Guam has some of the highest recruiting numbers per capita
across all services, and this pride in serving our island and country
extends into the Marianas Islands. Specifically, to the Guam Army National
Guard, recruiting on Saipan, an island in the Commonwealth of the Northern
Marianas Islands (CNMI) with a population of about 44,000, has been gaining
momentum since reopening the recruiting efforts there with 52 recruits since
May 2022. This point offers that creating an ADA force structure in the
GUARNG could soften the “tyranny of distance” issue when transporting
something like the Iron Dome from Texas to Guam. Transporting it by plane
could take 10-12 hours, which gives the enemy much time to inflict damage.
Imagine the response time if the GUARNG had a force structure to recruit
against and gain Soldiers who were qualified to operate the Iron Dome, and
it was already prepositioned in Guam. In this scenario, they may have a
chance to survive a missile attack as the most likely course of action from
the PRC or any enemy.
Guam previously had signal capabilities, starting with a Signal detachment
from 1991 to 2007. 2009, the 721st Signal Company served the Guam National
Guard as a competent network and tactical signal systems unit. The unit
remained at 100% strength during most of its existence before finally
inactivating in March 2016. Once the unit was inactivated, Soldiers who
decided to stay in the organization were reassigned to other units, mainly
in the infantry battalion. Most Soldiers who ended up in a career field
outside of signal left the organization either to active duty or some other
reserve component or branch of service with available signal positions. For
25 years, the GUARNG remained semi-relevant in this domain. In this
operating environment, cyber has become a priority by Army doctrine, the
NDS, NSS, the NCS, and the GUARNG. A cyber and signal company or detachment
is another capability the GUARNG leadership brings up nationally.
The Guam Army National Guard is a proud organization. Every Soldier, from
the private who recently returned from basic training and advanced
individual training to The Adjutant General, understands it is a critical
time and place in the region. One day, the GUARNG will be forced to defend
its home from those who do not share the same views as the U.S. to maintain
a free and open INDO-PACIFIC region. With an updated force structure to
include air defense and cyber capabilities to help defend the homeland,
GUARNG can remain a ready and relevant force. We are the first responders to
a crisis or conflict in Guam. The National Guard Bureau must support the
immediate force structure concerns to support the Guam Army National Guard’s
readiness and modernization. We will ultimately be able to defend Guam, its
people, and the Marianas.
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