Establishing a National Guard in the NMI: Feasible, but Not Without Its Challenges

The CNMI and American Samoa are the only two jurisdictions in the United States without a National Guard. The Guard plays a vital dual role, supporting our nation’s military while also serving states and communities during times of disaster. Recently, I received a letter from Senator Celina Babauta requesting legislation to amend Title 32 to establish a National Guard component in the Marianas. This week, I responded by sharing our research and outlining the steps necessary to move this idea forward. Creating a Guard here would require significant amendments to U.S. law, including Titles 32, 10, and 37, as well as commitments from the CNMI government to provide the resources and structure to make it feasible. This balance of responsibilities is a core feature of the National Guard as both a state and federal resource. If the Commonwealth determines this is a priority and has the resources to support it, I will do my part to advance the discussion in Congress. In 2018, the Guard Bureau provided an implementation plan, and updates to the 2015 Feasibility Study are underway. These updates will provide an even clearer picture of how the federal government, and the Marianas can make this a reality.