U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Ryan West, outgoing company commander with Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, passes the guidon to Maj. Michael Guard, oncoming company commander for HQ. Co., MCB Camp Blaz, during the HQ Co. change of command on MCB Camp Blaz, Guam, July 30, 2025. Capt. West, the first HQ Co. commander, relinquished his duties to Maj. Michael Guard after serving as the company commander since May 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Afton Smiley)
From left to right, U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Krivenko, acting senior enlisted advisor of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Senator Chris Dueñas, the Honorable Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero, Governor of Guam and U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard D. Marshall Jr., commanding officer of MCB Camp Blaz, pose for a photo at the new highway sign during the Brig. Gen. Ben Blaz Memorial Highway renaming ceremony in Dededo, Guam, July 28, 2025. The naming of Brig. Gen. Ben Blaz Memorial Highway is a heartfelt tribute to a distinguished individual who represents the dedication to service, professionalism, and local pride that Camp Blaz aspires to uphold. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Afton Smiley)
U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Bruce Miller, communications chief, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, and Float riders on the Village of Manenggon float, wave to the crowd during the 81st Guam Liberation Day parade in Hagåtña, Guam, July 21, 2025. The parade is a celebration of U.S. forces liberating Guam from Imperial Japanese Forces in 1944 during World War II. Throughout the month of July there are several events and ceremonies held as part of Guam’s Liberation Month. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tanner Currin)
U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz (MCB) Commanding Officer, Col. Richard D. Marshall Jr., and MCB Camp Blaz Senior Enlisted Leader, Master Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Krivenko, narrate a Liberation Day greeting message for the 81st Guam Liberation Day commencement ceremony, July 15, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Rey Moreno Marilao)
U.S Marine Corps Col. Ricahrd Marshall Jr., oncoming commanding officer, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, takes the command colors from Col. Ernest Govea, outgoing commanding officer, MCB Camp Blaz, during a change of command ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam, July 17, 2025. Col. Govea relinquished command of Camp Blaz to Col. Marshall after serving as the commanding officer since July of 2023. The change of command ceremony is an honored tradition, which signifies the transfer of command responsibility from one commander to another. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brayden Daniel)
U.S. servicemembers, World War II survivors, and Guam politicians pose for a photo at the Kålaguak Memorial in Barigåda, Guam, July 11, 2025. Tiyan, Barigåda was the site where the CHamoru population during World War II was forced by the Imperial Japanese Forces to build an airstrip. The Kålaguak memorial service is one of many held across the island to commemorate the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Guam. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Rey Moreno Marilao)
On Monday, July 28, the Government of Guam honored U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General (Brig. Gen.) and Delegate Vicente “Ben” T. Blaz, a Guam native and the first CHamoru Marine to achieve the rank of general officer in the U.S. Armed Forces, by renaming Guam Route 3 as “Brigadier General Ben Blaz Memorial Highway.” This change reflects not only the community’s deep respect for Blaz’s military service, but also recognizes his leadership, patriotism, and lifelong dedication to the people of Guam. The renaming was formalized through Bill 273, introduced by Senator Chris Dueñas and unanimously passed by the Guam Legislature on February 26, 2022.
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CAMP BLAZ, Guam — The Commanding officer of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz relinquished command during a change of command ceremony Thursday, marking a new chapter in the base’s leadership. Col. Ernest Govea who assumed command in July 2023, handed over responsibilities to Col. Richard D. Marshall Jr. in a ceremony attended by Marines, local officials and members of the community. The event, held on base, recognized Govea’s role in overseeing key developments at Camp Blaz, including infrastructure growth and ongoing integration with the local community.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Daniel A. Soto relinquished his duties as the senior enlisted leader during a Relief Ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam, June 11, 2025. Soto was appointed on Feb. 16, 2023, and he made history as MCB Camp Blaz’s first-ever Sergeant Major since its official activation in 2020. Upon arrival, Soto has played a crucial role in strengthening the Marine Corps community on the island, fostering leadership, and enhancing readiness throughout the command. “I want to show you what right looks like - I want to show you Camp Blaz,” said Soto. "These young men and women are charged to come out here every single day to make a difference, to be good stewards, and to represent the Marine Corps and Camp Blaz. They are out here to protect the Indo-Pacific, so you and I can sit here at ease and at peace. This is because of Marines like this behind me standing in formation. They don’t miss a beat." During his tenure, Soto was integral in the establishment and operationalization of the installation. He was instrumental in the relocation of the first Marine Corps unit from Okinawa, shaping key policy decisions and strategic direction, and supporting quality of life improvements to enhance morale and operational readiness.
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP BLAZ, Guam — When stepping onto any forested landscape on Guam, visitors are greeted with lush greenery—vibrant with a variety of leaves, vines, and blooming flowers. But beneath this picturesque scenery lies a more complex reality, the magnitude of invasive species impacts that threatens the island’s native flora and fauna.