Day 54: the Ranch and a mini Guam history lesson

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We made our way to the family ranch located on Anderson Military Base. Getting people on base is a process: First, immediate family members need to become sponsors by: 1.) being a land owner, 2.) proving heritage to the family. Each sponsor can bring up to 7 people onto the base. Every sponsoree has to bring 2 forms of ID to get on base. However, it’s not uncommon for the rules to change especially when new commanders come in every 4 years. After 9-11, they refused to let landowners in for 6 months and all the livestock and horses on the land died from starvation. Today was a fairly quick process. Jules’ dad took us and told us how this land had been in his family for generations. However, after the US came into the country following World War II, they appropriated the land from the landowner only leaving his family with 30-ish acres of the original 100+ acres. To rub salt in the wound, the government declared it as undeveloped and paid pennies on the dollar. Some families refused to take the money because they didn’t want to sell and especially not for that price. The US governement took them to court to force them to take it. Jules’ family is one of the ”Lucky” ones because they still have access to the land. Currently, the US government is preparing to move 5,000 to 10,000 marines to the island from Japan and is building a base on 600 more acres of Guam land. There’s lots of concern about the increase in military because rumor is Japan forced the military out due to problems they are causing. At the same time, Guam has little ability to protect itself and the building creates jobs. The downside is the military builds everything on base so there is very little financial benefit long term for island businesses because the milItaly and families essentially never have to leave the base. After navigating the dirt and rock filled road, we came down a cliff and down to the beach. This beach is completely off limits to EVERYONE on the island except the family because it is on the base and even they cannot access it. The beach looked like something out of Jurassic Park and was one of those places you dream of finding as a traveler (completely secluded and off the beaten path). A piece of paradise with a lot of baggage with it.

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