"No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child."
--Abraham Lincoln
Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (December 14, 2021): In this photo by Corporal Andrew King, Gunnery Sergeant Rubin Tan, the Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz Communications and Operations Chief, assembles a donated bike as part of the Marine’s Toys for Tots campaign to bring the joy of Christmas to underprivileged children. Ironically, Marines like Gunny Tan and thousands like him will be far from home this holiday season.
Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (December 14, 2021): Big, tough U.S. Marines giving of their time and energy to provide Christmas gifts to the less fortunate children of Guam is truly a touching image. The irony here is that this Marine, along with thousands of servicemembers like him, will be away from their home and loved ones this year.
As Americans celebrate Veterans Day this week, it is important to keep in mind our active duty deployed servicemembers, like those on Guam, who stand ready to defend our nation.
America has maintained a continuous Marine presence on the island of Guam since 1899 where they fired the first shots in World War I. During WWII, Guam was occupied by the Japanese until the Marines III Amphibious Corps landed to retake the island, suffering over 8,000 casualties. Guam went on to become a staging and refueling hub for U.S. Forces moving to invade Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Today, Guam is the forward edge of the U.S./Japan alliance in the Indo-Pacific.
Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is located at Andersen with the Air Force’s 36th Wing, the major unit of the Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and host wing for the U.S. Air Force on Guam. More than 8,000 joint service members, civilians, and contractors work and live on Andersen, including 2,500 dependents and 22 tenant units. Andersen’s two runways, two landing zones, and 7.5 million square feet of ramp can support every aircraft in the Department of Defense inventory. Originally built as a B-29 bomber base, Andersen has been in continuous use since 1945.
Founded in 1947, The Toys for Tots program delivered 18 million toys to 7 million under privileged children around world last year. On Guam, the Marines teamed up with some 80 local businesses and generous Guamanians during a ten-week campaign to lift the spirits of the little ones.
We at Support Our Troops salute these brave Americans as they are a symbol of our nations heart and generosity. Won’t you take a moment, right now, to help us send a little bit of comfort their way to boost their spirits during the holidays? You can join the thousands of Americans who make monthly contributions to Support Our Troops' Patriots Brigade® to provide comfort items and recreational activities for our troops, particularly those deployed overseas. Please visit our secure website https://supportourtroops.org/donate to donate to America’s finest today!