U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Andrew Hays, network administrator, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, speaks to a senior citizen during a community relations event in Astumbo, Guam, June 26, 2026. The event provided Marines an opportunity to build relationships with the local community through conversation, volunteer service, and meaningful engagement. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brayden Daniel)
U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Dillon Tripp, military police officer, and Lance Cpl. Preston Pacheco, military police officer, both with Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, conduct I.D. checks at a Camp Blaz gate, MCB Camp Blaz, Guam, June 30, 2026. The MCB Camp Blaz Provost Marshal’s Office has recently achieved initial operation capable status and continues to expand their efforts throughout the installation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tanner Currin)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Mark Ocasio, data systems chief, and Sgt. Rodencia Thomas, administrative specialist, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, prepare for a gear shed during a basic swim qualification on Naval Base Guam, March 26, 2026. The basic swim qualification consists of a 25-meter swim, tower jump into the water, four-minute tread, 25-meter pack swim, and an underwater gear shed. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brayden Daniel)
U.S. Marine Corps 1st Sgt. Phillip Sandfire Jr., company first sergeant, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, and Sgt. Maj. Robert E. Catching, senior enlisted advisor, MCB Camp Blaz, scan the shoreline for small glass debris at Tanguisson Beach, Dededo, Guam, Apr. 24, 2025. Camp Blaz personnel enhance community bonds and support Guam's natural beauty and native ecosystem through monthly service initiatives like the "Marines in the Wild" program, focused on environmental projects that make a lasting impact. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Chelsey Suarez-Pierce)
Distinguished visitors and senior leaders of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz pose for a group photo at MCB Camp Blaz, Guam, April 9, 2026. Mr. Andrew L. Winternitz, acting deputy assistant secretary of war for defense for East Asia, along with other officials from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, visited the installation to discuss future development initiatives for Camp Blaz. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rey Moreno Marilao)
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Afton Smiley, combat photographer, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, poses with section and headquarters company leadership after winning the Joint Region Marianas Junior Service Member of the Year award at United Services Organization, Tumon Bay Center, March 6, 2026. The award recognizes the outstanding leadership, commitment to community, and all-around dedication of service members across the island of Guam. (Courtesy Photo)
Laughter echoed through Astumbo Senior Center as Marines with Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz sat alongside Guam's elderly residents, sharing stories, offering a helping hand, and spending time with those who have helped shape the island's community during a community relations event on June 26, 2026. The visit wasn't centered on completing a project or checking off volunteer hours. Instead, it was about connection. Marines spent the day talking with residents, assisting staff where needed, and taking time to listen to decades of stories and life experiences. Those conversations quickly turned strangers into friends, reminding everyone involved that sometimes the simplest gestures leave the greatest impact.
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On April 24, 2026, nearly 50 Marines and civilian staff from Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz completed their second environmentally focused community relations (COMREL) project of the year, continuing their commitment to environmental preservation and community engagement. The initiative titled “Marines in the Wild,” was centered on debris removal and beach restoration at Tanguisson Beach, which had been impacted by Super Typhoon Sinlaku and ongoing illegal dumping. In collaboration with Camp Blaz’s Public Works Department (PWD) Environmental Team, the group removed over 6,000 pounds of debris, including plastic waste, aluminum cans, and more.
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Afton Smiley, a native of Kenosha, Wisconsin, was recently named the Joint Region Marianas (JRM) Junior Service Member of the Year for 2025. The honor was bestowed during a ceremony on March 6, 2026, for which she was awarded a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in recognition of her exemplary performance in the combat camera military occupational specialty and her exceptional contributions to the local community. "Lance Corporal Smiley’s exceptional skills and unwavering commitment to duty reflect the core values of the Marine Corps and exemplify the level of service we strive to achieve," said Maj. Mark Crum, Communication Strategy and Operations Director, Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz. "Her leadership and community engagement have set a standard for junior service members throughout the region."
As part of the 2017 Biological Opinion, Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Blaz’s Natural Resources Team has spearheaded contracts, projects, and outreach efforts to strengthen designated Forest Enhancement Sites (FES) across the installation while working to minimize impacts to native species throughout the installation’s footprint. Invasive species, including non-native animals and plants, have severely impacted Guam’s native ecosystems by outcompeting native species for resources and hindering their growth. Storm events, such as Typhoon Mawar in 2023, combined with human activity and the spread of invasive species, have further strained the island’s biodiversity.