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)
Guam locals and U.S. military personnel listen to the story of the CHamoru people who were forced to reside in the Asinan concentration camp during World War II, during a memorial ceremony at Pago Bay Bridge, Yona, Guam, July 10, 2025. Guam was liberated on July 21, 1944, which ended the Imperial Japanese occupation that had begun in 1941. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Rey Moreno Marilao)
U.S. service members, World War II survivors, Guam residents, and supporters, sit during the Mañenggon Memorial Ceremony as part of the 81st liberation of Guam in Yona, Guam, July 6, 2025. Mañenggon was the site of one of the concentration camps where the Imperial Japanese force-marched and held the CHamoru population during World War II. This memorial service is one of many held across the island to commemorate the liberation of Guam during World War II. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tanner Currin)
U.S. Marines with Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, march in the 79th annual Saipan Liberation Day parade in I Liyang, Saipan, July 4, 2025. The march included dozens of military, government, and local organizations and floats in celebration of the liberation of Saipan. Saipan’s Liberation Day commemorates the permanent closure of civilian internment camps at the end of World War II on July 4, 1946. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Brayden Daniel)
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.
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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.
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP BLAZ, Guam —The first new enlisted barracks at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz opened May 16, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the development of the U.S. Marine Corps’ newest installation. “This marks the beginning of life on Camp Blaz’s Main Cantonment,” said Col. Ernest Govea, commanding officer, MCBCB. “Marines and Sailors are going to finally be able to live on the base and have an improved quality of life and readiness.” In the morning, Marines and Sailors, previously housed on Andersen Air Force Base, began moving into their new home. In the coming weeks, Marines and Sailors living aboard Naval Base Guam will transition into the new facilities. “It is really unique to be able to be the first person to move into a barracks room, and that will probably never happen again in my career,” said Lance Cpl. Juan Dela Cerda, an administrative clerk with the S-1 section of Camp Blaz. “Besides how unique it is, it’s just nice to have a place to call my own.”