Governor Lou Leon Guerrero and Lieutenant Governor Josh Tenorio opened the first-ever Guam Defense Forum on Wednesday, welcoming senior federal, military and community leaders to a two-day event focused on civil-military collaboration and investment in Guam’s people and infrastructure. The forum convened officials from the U.S. Department of Defense, federal agencies, the Guam Legislature, village mayors, nonprofits, industry representatives and service members stationed on the island.
Leon Guerrero emphasized that Guam’s defense significance must be matched by tangible benefits for its residents. “There is no national security without human security—without hospitals that heal, schools that teach, utilities that sustain, cyber systems that defend, and homes and jobs that keep families safe,” she said. “The United States cannot rely on Guam without also uplifting Guam. We expect not charity, but fairness.”
U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo delivered the morning keynote, calling Guam “the homeland” and asserting that defending the island is defending America. He said the Guam Defense System would protect against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic weapons while also creating jobs, modernizing infrastructure and expanding opportunity for residents.
In the afternoon, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment Dale Marks urged a “new mindset” to build resilient installations and communities, highlighting energy security, housing and workforce development as shared priorities. The forum continues Thursday with panels on infrastructure, healthcare, workforce development and civil-military coordination, which the Leon Guerrero-Tenorio administration hopes to establish as an annual event.
