A divide may be widening between some in the local community and others witnessing the Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz reactivation and naming ceremony in Asan today. It was a historic moment for the military and for this part of the world.

Security was tight at the War in the Pacific National Park, where the military and local authorities kept close watch on attendees' every move...including the media.

Military fighter jets flew over Asan Beach Park, starting the reactivation and official naming of the new Marine Corps base after a Guam man - the late brigadier general Vicente "Ben" Blaz.

"I am honored to represent our family by speaking here today," announced his grandson, Vince Blaz. "The reactivation and renaming of the new Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz is a tremendous honor to the people of Guam and our grandfather. I know he is smiling down upon all of us with peaceful gratitude."

Security was strict for the ceremony. The ceremony at War in the Pacific was so widely-watched, the military even had to shuttle reporters and dignitaries to the event - expecting crowds to come out and witness this historic moment. Federal international and local government officials also attended the event.

General David Berger, Marine Corps Commandant, spoke on Blaz’s 29 years of service to the military and his time as Guam’s delegate in the US Congress. "He was the man who showed us how to remember our past without letting it stifle our future. Ben Blaz may have built these bridges, but it is our job to make sure they remain strong," the officer said. "That’s precisely what this base is all about."

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Meredith Berger additionally shared how the growing military presence is important, stating, "Together we will project power, engage in diplomacy and deter. If all else fails, together we will be prepared to fight and win from this platform."

Governor Lou Leon Guerrero used the time to remember the Marines swarming in to that very spot during World War II to help liberate Guam from Japanese occupation. "This sends a powerful message to the world that Guam is an even mightier tip of the Pacific spear," she noted.

But, as the Maga’haga was speaking to the nation’s first and only CHamoru-named base, protestors against the buildup were nearby. Local activists with Prutehi Litekyan had a close encounter with the Guam Police Department's SWAT unit, who told the activists they needed to move their protest to other side of the park - outside the barriers.

The group’s Monaeka Flores was heard on a livestream, proclaiming , "It doesn’t feel good to be told we can’t participate in a public event," after GPD requested they move. "We don’t want war," she said. "The bases make us a bigger target for war, and we are tired of being a colony."

Still, the governor added that the plans include benefits to the island, while strengthening Guam’s security posture. "We worked with our military partners," she said. "We ensured everyone respects regional sensitivity and international security agreements and with recognition that the long-term goal must achieve sustainable peace for all."

A peace that apparently comes at a price with protests.