SAIPAN — The push to establish a CNMI National Guard unit is moving closer to reality, with a formal working group set to be established in the coming months to outline the unit’s structure and mission, according to Senator Celina R. Babauta.
Babauta, who chairs the SNILD Committee on Military Affairs, said discussions with federal partners have reached a turning point following her August 2025 letter to National Guard Bureau Chief General Jonathan M. Nordhaus requesting the official commencement of the establishment process and the assignment of a Unit Identification Code for the CNMI.
“I have requested to be a part of this working group to help shape exactly what our units will look like,” Babauta said. “We aren’t just looking for a military presence; we are looking to build a sustainable institution that provides careers for our residents and security for our islands.”
As part of her proposal, Babauta has put forward the former Marianas Resort complex as the primary facility for the CNMI National Guard, calling it a solution to the property’s long-running leasing stalemate.
“This will solve the leasing stalemate of the former Marianas property,” Babauta said. “Repurposing it for the National Guard prevents the facility from languishing and utilizing an existing complex provides a faster track for activation compared to new construction, while injecting federal investment into the local area.”
Babauta has also proposed expanding the seaport at Charlie Dock further into Tanapag Harbor, citing two objectives. The first is economic: hardening the docks would allow the CNMI to accommodate larger cruise ships and better leverage its Jones Act waiver to directly import commodities and lower the cost of living. The second is regional resilience: a hardened Tanapag Harbor could serve as a primary logistics hub for supplies to Guam and the wider Micronesian region in the event of a catastrophic event damaging Apra Harbor.
“This is not only a win-win situation for our economy and our federal partners, but also a cornerstone for regional stability and long-term self-reliance,” Babauta said.
The senator also highlighted the situation of more than 125 CNMI residents who currently serve in the Guam National Guard but are unable to travel to their parent units for drill and training because the Guam Guard cannot cover their airfare. Babauta said a CNMI unit would bring those service members home while preserving their training and qualifications.
“Our people have the training, the commitment, and the MOS qualifications, but they are stuck in a logistical limbo,” Babauta said. “It is a total waste of their skills and military investment.” Under Title 32 of the United States Code, National Guard units are authorized for all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia — but the CNMI is excluded. Congress has previously directed the National Guard Bureau to study the feasibility of a CNMI Guard, and that study confirmed the viability of establishing one in the Commonwealth
