'It's going to be great:' New Joint Region Marianas chief assumes post amid logistical hurdles on Guam
- Admin
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
DeVore bids 'bittersweet' goodbye
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Rear Adm. Brent DeVore handed over the Joint Region Marianas command to Rear Adm. Brett Mietus, who is now at the helm of billion-dollars worth of defense projects amid logistical challenges surrounding plans for the enhancement of Guam's defense.
“Today is bittersweet because together, we continue to make continuous progress on many active projects,” DeVore said during a change of command ceremony held Thursday at the Guam High School gymnasium in Agana Heights.
“Our efforts tangibly demonstrate our strength to ensure peace,” DeVore said in his farewell speech. “Stealing a line from the governor, ‘this island knows war,’ and it's my job—it's our job as leaders, it's all of our job as a broad staff—to do everything in our power to ensure that war and conflict never returns to these islands.”
DeVore’s successor, Mietus, is a naval flight officer who most recently served as commander of Patrol and Reconnaissance Group in Norfolk, Virginia. He arrived on Guam amid the anticipated flows of Marines from Okinawa.
Mietus accepted the challenge, pledging to “bring everything I have to this nation—whatever it takes.”
While the JRM post is typically a two-year tour, DeVore served only one year.
He came to Guam last year to complete the remaining term of Rear Adm. Gregory Huffman, who was promoted to lead the newly formed Joint Task Force Micronesia, a two-star command.
“It's bittersweet. Just as you start to learn an area and understand a region, you start to go. Okay, we're ready to move out and I'm moving on to my next position here,” he said at a press briefing on Tuesday. “So really, really, as I said, bittersweet, sad to go.”
DeVore, a surface warfare officer, will assume command of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 in San Diego.
“I'm incredibly humbled by the partnerships we've forged with our friends at the government of Guam, the government of the Northern Marianas, all of the villages and our island friends and colleagues,” he said.
“We have built close partnerships with the governors of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. We also have many partnering sessions within the community and I’ve been so blessed to be a part of the impactful work that we all do together.”
At Tuesday’s press briefing, DeVore said JRM is overseeing $5 billion worth of defense projects in the region, including 70 active projects at Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, the proposed $1.5 billion missile defense system, the $800 million restoration of glass breakwater at Apra Harbor and other rehabilitation work on facilities damaged by Typhoon Mawar.
“I'm extremely pleased to see the first visible sign of Marine Corps movement to Camp Blaz. This new installation is delivering on its promise. It's state-of-the-art and an amazing facility,” DeVore said.
The vanguard of the 5,000 Marines from Okinawa arrived on Guam last December. The phased-in arrivals are anticipated to continue this year.
Mietus said he came prepared for his mission “to work with people along the joint force so that in times of peace, we serve as an inspiring example of collaboration and teaming, where people get a chance to do the best work
of their lives, their purpose and their mission.”
“In times of war, “ he added, “America can defend this island, project power and enable forces to ensure that American ideas and our way of life—freedom, democracy, life, liberty and pursuit of happiness—remain intact for ourselves, our allies, and for all. This is going to be great.”
Mietus came on board on the heels of the Government Accountability Office’s report flagging the operational and logistical challenges facing the Department of Defense on Guam.
The GAO report noted the housing shortages, classroom overcrowding, limited utilities and inadequate health care inside and outside the fence.
At Tuesday’s press briefing, DeVore emphasized the need for the military to be “open and transparent” with the civilian communities about the mutual challenges and to explore partnership opportunities.
“This is back to the One-Guam approach, so that we're not building solutions in separate silos,” he said.
“Certainly, we could all use more money, but there is no more money to have. It's limited, and we've got to be as smart, resourceful, pragmatic and practical as we can in the use of limited and precious taxpayer money to be able to provide for defense," he added.
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