Guam says adios to Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar

There's a new Commander of Joint Region Marianas after Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar handed over command to Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield during a ceremony at the FD Phoenix Center in Mangilao today.

It's without doubt, that Rear Admiral Bolivar will be missed. From the moment she touched down on Guam three years ago, she fell in love. "It was at the very moment I knew that I was home," she said. Over the years she built relationships with not just those she commanded but the island community. She lived the "One Guam'" attitude, explaining, "The people of Guam, there are no words that can even begin to express my gratitude for opening your homes, welcoming us to your lives and calling us your family we will never forget you in my heart you will always remain."

And with all ceremonious change of commands local dignitaries and off island military officials attended. Aside from her family, flying over 8,000 miles to join her and give the keynote speech was her friend and former Secretary of the Navy James Webb, Jr.

"She gets this done, wherever she has been in the Navy she gets things done. She works with people she reaches out to people she's got that can do attitude emails with four exclamation points on them."

Under her leadership, Joint Region Marianas met its mission of enabling the warfighter and supporting military families, while building regional partnerships and spearheading the "One Guam" initiative. U.S. Pacific Command Deputy Commander Lt. General Anthony Crutchfield flew in to congratulate Rear Admiral Bolivar for a job well done in keeping the nation's defense ready in this part of the world.

"Four of the five strategic challenges facing our nation today, Isil, North Korea, China Russia exist right here in this region where you live those three threats are geographically close to Guam than the rest of the homeland at Pacific Command defending the homeland is our number one responsibility 309 and defending this beautiful island is part of job one," he said.

While everyone said bye to Bette, the island says welcome home to Rear Admiral Shoshana Chatfield. She previously served as a commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron -25, the Island Knights.  Rear admiral Chatfield returns to Guam after serving as the U.S. Deputy Military Representative to the NATO military committee in Brussels, Belgium. During the ceremony she said "it's good to be home".