Marianas Role in Supporting Our Prepositioning Ships

For decades, the prepositioning vessels anchored outside our lagoon have been a part of the daily horizon in the Marianas, a reminder of our role in national security. Recently, the ships departed for maintenance and repair outside of the United States and its territories. While upkeep of the fleet is essential, I believe there is an opportunity for the CNMI to play a role in this work. I wrote to Captain David Reyes, Far East Commander of the U.S. Military Sealift Command, about the status and plans for Maritime Prepositioning Squadron Three (MPSRON-3) and how the CNMI can someday play a more substantial role in their presence. Even limited repair or voyage maintenance done here could help develop a maritime service industry, create good jobs, and strengthen our connection to these critical defense assets. I asked for more information on the vessels and expressed my interest in exploring ways for the Marianas to contribute to sustaining the fleet.