Revitalized military base dedicated to fallen heroes

The revitalized U.S. Army Reserve Center in Puerto Rico was dedicated to the late Corporal Derence W. Jack and the late Staff Sgt. Wilgene T. Lieto in a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday.

According to Brig. Gen. Douglas Anderson, 9th MSC, U.S. Army Reserve general commander, memorializing heroes who lost their lives in the line of duty enables those who come after to remember them.

“The main reason is that we memorialize buildings…to honor our soldiers and those who came before us—those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice. …By memorializing our buildings, our ranges, or other facilities, it lets our current soldiers remember them and remember the sacrifices that they made and understand that they are all part of something bigger,” he said.

Lieto and Jack were both from the unit that conducts training on Saipan, Echo Company 100, before they were drafted to join the war in Iraq.

“Staff Sergeant Lieto and Corporal Jack…were with Echo Company 100th in Iraq, which is the infantry detachment that is here. They were soldiers in the unit that conducts training here,” said Anderson.

Jack’s wife, Melissa Tomokane Jack, was present and said that she and her daughter were proud to witness the newly improved military base that memorializes her late husband.

“I love it because it memorializes what he stands for and it makes my daughter and I very proud to know that he will forever be remembered even more,” she said.

According to Jack, the facility reminds her that her husband died while serving the country he loved and he was able to fulfill his lifelong dream in the end.

“My feelings toward the Army never changed. He wanted to serve his country; this is something that he wanted to. It was his lifelong dream since he was a boy. …It was his dream and he fulfilled it. He’ll never be forgotten, he is one of the CNMI’s heroes,” she said.

Although the U.S. Army provided the funding, the U.S Navy oversaw the construction of the improved facility. Over $6.4 million was put into the revitalization and about $2 million was put into the expansion of the Saipan Troop Store, for a grand total of over $8 million.

The renovations took about 20 months to complete, according to Joint Region Marianas commanding officer Adam Perrins.

The renovations were made to accommodate a larger number of troops and to also ensure that the building is resilient against future typhoons.

According to Sgt. Melanie Joy Licerio, she found the improvements amazing. “It’s really better right now. Before, it was just two buildings…all of this is really a big improvement,” she said.

Some of the improvements include additional buildings, air-conditioning, an expanded gym, a motor room, and more.

The base provides service to over 70 military reserve servicemen.