{"id":32225,"date":"2023-09-01T22:40:54","date_gmt":"2023-09-01T22:40:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2023\/09\/01\/recovery-takes-shape-at-air-forces-typhoon-battered-base-in-guam\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:19:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:19:10","slug":"recovery-takes-shape-at-air-forces-typhoon-battered-base-in-guam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/the-americas\/2023\/09\/01\/recovery-takes-shape-at-air-forces-typhoon-battered-base-in-guam\/","title":{"rendered":"Recovery takes shape at Air Force\u2019s typhoon-battered base in Guam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three months after Typhoon Mawar became the strongest storm to hit Guam since 2002, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2023\/06\/07\/nearly-2m-available-for-military-families-in-guam-after-typhoon\/\" target=\"_blank\">Andersen Air Force Base is getting back on its feet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All base services, like stores and the daycare, are operational with regular hours, 36th Wing spokesperson 1st Lt. Ariana Wilkinson said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/06\/07\/nearly-2m-available-for-military-families-in-guam-after-typhoon\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NMCRS-Providing-Assistance-to-Servicemembers-Impacted-by-Typhoon-Mawar-2.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Nearly $2M available for military families in Guam after typhoon<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Relief societies are providing grants to military, families in Guam for basic needs such as shelter, food and gas.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Airmen are again allowed to begin new jobs in Guam, following a 60-day order to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2023\/06\/09\/military-helps-guam-after-typhoon-air-force-and-navy-pause-pcs-moves\/\" target=\"_blank\">stop troops from moving to the U.S. territory<\/a>. Andersen\u2019s displaced population, which totaled around 400 airmen and their dependents as of early June, has shrunk to zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And this weekend, staff at the on-base airport will begin checking in passengers for overseas flights from a cluster of portable trailers \u2014 their second temporary office space since the storm wrecked Andersen\u2019s passenger terminal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s the first steps of a process that could take one to two years, if not longer, to return the Air Force\u2019s westernmost outpost in the Pacific to its pre-storm state. The service declined to answer how much the effort may cost, citing a complex web of decisions across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2023\/05\/23\/military-sends-away-ships-as-super-typhoon-mawar-closes-in-on-guam\/\" target=\"_blank\">multiple branches of the military<\/a> that have installations on Guam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Restoring the base that bills itself as America\u2019s \u201cforward edge of the Indo-Pacific\u201d is as critical to global security as it is for the well-being of troops living there, military officials argue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pentagon views China as America\u2019s top competitor in military strength, technology development and global influence. Defense leaders are also wary of Beijing\u2019s growing aggression toward Taiwan, the democratically self-governed island that maintains military and trade ties with the United States but is claimed by China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That makes Andersen, which sits about 1,900 miles from the Chinese mainland and within reach of U.S. allies in the Pacific, a strategic boon in future emergencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cGuam is of enormous importance,\u201d Gen. Mike Minihan, the Air Force\u2019s top mobility officer, told Air Force Times during a trip to Andersen in July. \u201cIf there were anything from crisis to conflict out here, it\u2019s a place that we would fight from, and it\u2019s a place that we would fight for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4082\" height=\"2740\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"This Tuesday, May 23, 2023 satellite image released by NASA shows Typhoon Mawar, a powerful storm that could deliver the biggest hit in two decades to the U.S. territory in the Pacific, approaching Guam.\" class=\"wp-image-71805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg 4082w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg?resize=300,201 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg?resize=768,516 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,687 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1031 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23143508243496.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1375 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4082px) 100vw, 4082px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This May 23 satellite image from NASA shows Typhoon Mawar approaching Guam. (NASA via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Weathering the storm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mawar made landfall at Andersen around 9 p.m. local time on May 24, pelting Guam with 140 mph winds and 28 inches of rain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The base of more than 8,000 people is home to a unit of RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance drones, but largely supports other military operations across the Pacific. It routinely welcomes bomber squadrons on routine deterrence missions, and is a major hub for training exercises around the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aircraft that could be evacuated were sent away before the storm, and those that weren\u2019t were parked in hangars. Families hunkered down to ride out the howling winds and pounding rain in the dark, without cell phone or radio service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s very traumatizing,\u201d said April Gerstner, a Key Spouse at Andersen whose husband works for the 734th Air Mobility Squadron. \u201cYou\u2019re hearing these full-force winds outside. \u2026 You keep hearing these loud thuds outside [of palm trees] hitting the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Key Spouses are volunteers appointed by the unit commander to serve as conduits of information providing resources to Air Force families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of unknown and you have to mentally be OK with it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"532\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pax.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pax.jpg.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pax.jpg.jpg?resize=300,160 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pax.jpg.jpg?resize=768,409 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Outbound airmen and their families are transported to Hangar 1 on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, May 30. Typhoon Mawar caused significant damage to the 734th Air Mobility Squadron&#8217;s passenger terminal. With the terminal out of commission, the 734th AMS teamed up with the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron and are now using their hangar as a temporary terminal until repairs to the main facility are complete. (Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the weeks that followed, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center dispatched a team to assess the damage, estimate the cost of repairs and craft a way forward. About 500 facilities were damaged, the service said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOverall, the structures fared really well. We didn\u2019t lose any buildings. We\u2019re able to continue with our mission,\u201d Col. Dustin Born, Andersen\u2019s on-site cleanup director, told Air Force Times in a recent interview. \u201cBut we obviously have a lot of facilities that have, now, water infiltration and water damage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For multiple reasons, Andersen fared better against Typhoon Mawar than Tyndall AFB did against Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm that devastated the Florida base in 2018, said Col. Robert Bartlow, who oversees the Air Force\u2019s natural disaster recovery efforts as part of AFCEC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Andersen saw slower winds and no storm surge because it sits at a higher elevation than Tyndall, Bartlow said. And the buildings on Guam were built to withstand Category 5 storms, which whip an area with winds in excess of 157 mph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike at Tyndall, none of Andersen\u2019s facilities suffered structural damage that would require them to be demolished and rebuilt, Born said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s a couple of facilities that we\u2019re considering possibly doing some new construction on, just because \u2026 it would be cost-prohibitive to repair the building,\u201d he said. \u201cWe might be better off just \u2026 getting new amenities and building it in a better fashion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gerstner\u2019s outlook was less rosy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re slowly getting there, but it\u2019s gonna take a really long time, because there are buildings that are just completely destroyed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"665\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/guam2.jpg_d7a05e.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71812\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/guam2.jpg_d7a05e.jpg 999w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/guam2.jpg_d7a05e.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/guam2.jpg_d7a05e.jpg?resize=768,511 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 999px) 100vw, 999px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An initial damage report is conducted May 26 after Typhoon Mawar, a Category 4 storm, hit the island of Guam and damaged Andersen Air Force Base. (Airman 1st Class Allison Martin\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gerstner added that while sandbags provided by the base helped keep her home from flooding, many at Andersen weren\u2019t as lucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of people that don\u2019t have carpet in their house because their whole house flooded,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople have mold, especially around their vents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Andersen\u2019s on-base airport terminal, where airmen and their families catch rides to the U.S. mainland on contracted jets known as \u201cspace-available\u201d flights, was among the worst-hit facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The facility\u2019s water damage and broken roof forced the 734th Air Mobility Squadron, which runs the passenger terminal, to move the jumble of luggage scales and waiting rooms into another squadron\u2019s building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For several weeks, troops and their families arrived and departed through a massive hangar that typically housed Global Hawk drones, but sat empty while the unit temporarily operated from Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, travelers will await their flights at a camp of trailers near the old passenger terminal until its extensive restoration is finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019ll need to be completely remodeled inside \u2026 taking out all the sheetrock, basically, gut it down to the studs, and if those are still good, then it\u2019ll be rebuilt from there,\u201d Born said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cleanup is a multi-step process. First, the military works to restore basic utilities like water and power, and moves downed trees that are blocking major roadways and threatening homes. Contractors come in to seal the buildings to ensure that more rain can\u2019t get in during Guam\u2019s frequent tropical showers and any other major storms that follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then buildings get internal makeovers, with new flooring, paint and furniture. Born\u2019s team will look at ways to secure the facilities against stronger storms, like adding roofs that can withstand 200 mph winds and shatter-resistant windows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force may add tile to the bottom foot or two of walls to prevent future water damage and mold, Born said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s an \u201copportunity to make sure that we\u2019re fixing things correctly,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to try to find the newest technology that has the best capabilities to withstand another typhoon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Large construction projects are made more complicated and expensive by Guam\u2019s distance from the continental U.S. Materials can take up to two months to arrive by ship, Born said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What\u2019s more, the limited equipment and labor pool must be shared by the island\u2019s public and private sectors, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pentagon. The 15-hour time difference between Guam and Bartlow\u2019s office in Florida has created other hurdles for program management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5878\" height=\"3902\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg 5878w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg?resize=300,199 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg?resize=768,510 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,680 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1020 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7842139.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1360 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5878px) 100vw, 5878px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Juan Mercado, GS-11 duty officer with the 734th Air Mobility Squadron, loads a water tanker, to be distributed to local Guam communities, on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 6. Joint military service members from across U.S. Indo-Pacific Command supported FEMA and worked with Guam and Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands\u2019 officials to recover from the devastating impacts of Typhoon Mawar. (Airman 1st Class Allison Martin\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think we\u2019ve overcome that,\u201d Bartlow said. \u201cThere\u2019s been a great deal of coordination \u2026 but it is a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Building back better<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How much the recovery effort may cost and how long it may take depend on how extensively the Pentagon uses the storm as a chance to build a better base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Andersen was already in the midst of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of upgrades when Mawar struck. The typhoon has presented more opportunities to improve upon facilities built in the late 1940s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force\u2019s fiscal 2024 budget asks Congress to fund a new area on the flight line to fit 14 B-52 Stratofortress bombers and additional tanker aircraft, plus the communications and electrical infrastructure to support those operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWithout this apron and the supporting utilities, Andersen AFB will be unable to adequately support the bomber aircraft operations during contingencies, significantly impacting readiness and degrading operational capability,\u201d the service wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2405\" height=\"1307\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg 2405w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg?resize=300,163 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg?resize=768,417 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,556 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,835 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon4b.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1113 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2405px) 100vw, 2405px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Debris litters base housing on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, May 26. (Screen grab from video by Staff Sgt. Divine Cox\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It cautioned that failing to build new parking \u201cmay increase the potential for a serious mishap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force in 2021 began work on a new weapons storage complex at Andersen that will house dozens of the long-range missiles seen as crucial in a potential war with China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can rapidly reload bomber aircraft. When they land here, they can get rapidly re-armed and take back off again,\u201d Maj. Timothy Wu, commander of the 36th Munitions Squadron, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airandspaceforces.com\/36th-munitions-squadron-readies-guam-for-improved-stand-off-weapons-capability\/#:~:text=The%20new%20standoff%20weapons%20complex,capable%20of%20fully%20equipping%20bombs.\">said last year<\/a>. \u201cIt increases the lethality for a second strike.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A slew of other air defense projects are poised to turn Guam into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedrive.com\/the-war-zone\/guams-airspace-set-to-be-most-defended-on-earth-in-new-plans\">\u201cmost densely protected place anywhere on the planet,\u201d<\/a> defense publication The Drive wrote Aug. 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Minihan\u2019s tour of mobility squadrons at the base, airmen pointed out that certain hangars were built to Navy standards rather than the Air Force\u2019s, making them too small to comfortably move equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2123\" height=\"1417\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71828\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg 2123w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg?resize=768,513 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1025 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon3.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1367 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2123px) 100vw, 2123px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Damage to the appliance storage building on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, was extensive. (Screen grab from video by Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That issue and more could be wrapped into the Air Force\u2019s post-storm plan for Andersen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To pay for it, a first tranche of money could come as part of a stopgap bill to fund the federal government in the early months of fiscal 2024, while Congress hashes out an appropriations package to last the rest of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe were able to take money from our FY \u201823 \u2026 appropriations to start some of the immediate emergency repairs,\u201d Born said. \u201cAs we dwindle down to the end of FY \u201823 \u2026 we are looking for special appropriations to make \u201824 flow through smoothly so we can continue our repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further funding would factor into the Pentagon\u2019s annual budget request in fiscal 2025 and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s complicated by the fact that we\u2019ve got multiple services and installations, and a U.S. territory involved here,\u201d Bartlow said. \u201cI think there\u2019s differing approaches on how \u2026 you fund this, recognizing the fact that it\u2019s got to be coordinated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guam\u2019s status as a U.S. territory gives it a smaller congressional delegation than states \u2014 one nonvoting member in the House of Representatives \u2014 which can hamper its ability to advocate for more funds and attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Guam\u2019s strategic importance in the Pacific has made it a prime destination for federal investment and garnered more interest from U.S. politicians. It has welcomed a growing number of federal lawmakers and military leaders on official visits, and recently hosted its first congressional field hearing since 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think they\u2019re able to see pretty clearly the level of impact, and the need for making sure that our strategic interests are repaired and aligned with what the nation needs,\u201d Born said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5254\" height=\"3380\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71832\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg 5254w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg?resize=300,193 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg?resize=768,494 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,659 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,988 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon6.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1318 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5254px) 100vw, 5254px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Airmen assigned to the 734th Air Mobility Squadron assist with cargo of Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, 26 May. (Staff Sgt. Divine Cox\/Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Just a normal day\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the Pentagon mounts its recovery effort, airmen are contending with the realities of daily life after a natural disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finding fresh, good-quality food has been difficult, Gerstner said, as have periodic power outages as the island repairs its electrical grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typhoon Mawar exacerbated the longstanding difficulties that military spouses have with finding jobs on Guam, and stretched mental health services even thinner. And the order barring new airmen from arriving at Andersen also strained squadrons that are perennially short-staffed, Gerstner said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some airmen have taken to social media to complain about food prices, moldy dormitories and other housing problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An anonymous complaint <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo\/?fbid=622147143380232&#038;set=gm.824143182706519&#038;idorvanity=275310917589751\">posted Aug. 15<\/a> on the unofficial \u201cAir Force amn\/nco\/snco\u201d Facebook page appears to show nearly bare shelves at a military-run grocery store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cJust a normal day at the commissary here in Guam,\u201d the post read. \u201cOff to the grocery store out in town where I\u2019ll pay $15+ dollars for a gallon of milk alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ahead of the storm, the Pentagon shrank its cost-of-living allowance for troops stationed overseas, arguing that the price of goods and services was on par with those in the continental U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That left Andersen airmen with less in their wallets amid post-typhoon spikes in food and gas prices. Gerstner said it has forced her family to think twice about their purchases and buy lower-quality food than they might otherwise eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Aug. 1, Joint Region Marianas announced the Pentagon had canceled another planned cut to the allowance of those stationed in Guam. The second decrease was scheduled for November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gerstner praised the responsiveness of base leaders and the Andersen community throughout the crisis, and wants to see more typhoon-preparation classes for airmen and their families to keep people safer in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But healing emotional wounds from the storm will take time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSome days I have good days, where it\u2019s like, \u2018Oh, we\u2019re getting back to normal. Things are looking great,\u2019\u201d Gerstner said. \u201cThen I see something \u2014 it could be a post, or it could be a part of the island that still looks really bad \u2014 and it feels like it\u2019s the week after the typhoon again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2197\" height=\"1329\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71835\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg 2197w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg?resize=300,181 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg?resize=768,465 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,619 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,929 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/typhoon2.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1239 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2197px) 100vw, 2197px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An initial damage report is conducted and cleanup gets underway May 26 after a typhoon hit the island of Guam and damaged Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (Screen grab from video by Airman 1st Class Spencer Perkins)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It could take one to two years, if not longer, to return the Air Force\u2019s westernmost outpost in the Pacific to its pre-storm state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":71800,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-post-featured-layout","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":48,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[160,141,11,36,30,48],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3484],"class_list":["post-32225","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-energy-and-environment","category-global","category-newsletters","category-smr","category-the-americas"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RXD4SBULFZFIRJPXRW3DY6RYSA","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/09\/01\/recovery-takes-shape-at-air-forces-typhoon-battered-base-in-guam\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"featured-layout","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Recovery takes shape at Air Force\u2019s typhoon-battered base in Guam - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It could take one to two years, if not longer, to return the Air Force\u2019s westernmost outpost in the Pacific to its pre-storm state.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Recovery takes shape at Air Force\u2019s typhoon-battered base in Guam\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"It could take one to two years, if not longer, to return the Air Force\u2019s westernmost outpost in the Pacific to its pre-storm state.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/the-americas\/2023\/09\/01\/recovery-takes-shape-at-air-forces-typhoon-battered-base-in-guam\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Defense News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-09-01T22:40:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T21:19:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. 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