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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman, Commanding General, 9th Mission Support Command salutes 9th MSC Soldiers as they participate in the Saipan Liberation Day Parade at Saipan, July 4.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman (center), Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson (left), the Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major of the 9th Mission Support Command, and 1st Lt. Naomi Pomele, aide-de-camp pose for a photo with Saipan law enforcement during Saipan’s Liberation Day parade at Saipan July 4.
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Brig. Gen. Mark W. Siekman, left, the commanding general for the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, speaks with Sgt. Juan Pocaigue, right, and Sgt. Franklin Reyes, center, at the U.S. Army Reserve Center Saipan Tuesday, July 5, 2022, while taking a tour of the facility.
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Command Sgt. Maj. Thompson, center, the command sergeant major of the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, speaks with 9th MSC Soldiers assigned to the Area Maintenance Support Activity (AMSA) and the Theater Support Group Detachment Marianas at the U.S. Army Reserve Center Saipan motor pool on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman, center, the commanding general for the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, gets a tour of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Dept. of Public Safety’s firing range in Marpi, Saipan, July 5, 2022. Also in the photo are Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Guerrero, left, and 9th MSC’s Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson.
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The posted signage at the front entrance gate of the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman, center, the commanding general for the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, and Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson, right, the 9th MSC’s command sergeant major, meets with Harry Blanco, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Field Representative under the Office of Insular Affairs on July 5, 2022.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman, second from right, the commanding general for the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, meets with Stanley Iakopo, second from left, the executive officers for the CNMI Military and Veteran Affairs Office on July 5, 2022. Also in the photo are Dept. of Public Safety Commissioner Robert Guerrero, left, and 9th MSC’s Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman, left, the commanding general for the 9th Mission Support Command, Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, has talks with Saipan Mayor David Apatang, center, in a conference room at the mayor’s office in San Jose, Saipan, July 5, 2022.
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Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman and Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson, the Commander and Command Sergeant Major of the 9th Mission Support Command are given a tour of the warehouse facilities at the Dydasco Army Reserve Center in Barrigada, Guam, July 6, 2022.
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The 9th Mission Support Command (MSC) is the most geographically dispersed command in the Army Reserve, with Army Reserve centers strategically located throughout the Pacific. These centers provide a forward Army presence in isolated Pacific island communities such as Guam, Saipan and American Samoa.
Brig. Gen. Mark Siekman and Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Thompson, the Commander and Command Sergeant Major of the 9th MSC spent Fourth of July weekend in Guam and Saipan among Army Reserve Soldiers and local government leaders, celebrating the holiday and discussing important issues within these communities.
The Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) celebrates America’s independence as well as “Liberation Day” on July 4th. Liberation Day is celebrated annually to mark the permanent closure of civilian internment camps on July 4, 1946 following WWII.
“The community here in Saipan asked the 9th MSC to be a part of the Fourth of July parade,” said Thompson. “It was awesome to see our citizen Soldiers, who are also a part of the local community here, be a part of this very special event.”
“The 9th MSC is the anchor for U.S. Army Pacific in locations like Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. Our Army Reserve Centers provide permanent Army presence on these islands,” said Siekman.
“These Army Reserve centers also provide significant economic benefit to these communities, providing jobs and income for the Soldiers located here,” added Siekman.
For Siekman, understanding the relationship between the Army Reserve and these communities is of the utmost importance.
“Because of the important role the Army Reserve plays in these communities, it is important to have regular meetings with local government leaders,” said Siekman. “We understand the importance of maintaining relationships and we are especially interested in ways in which the 9th MSC can best integrate Army Reserve capabilities to address issues affecting these communities.”
For Thompson, the visit was both novel and informative.
“I only recently joined the 9th MSC team and this was my first time in Guam and Saipan,” said Thompson. “As I met members of the local community, I was surprised by the amount of people who are current or former members of the 9th MSC. Government officials, community leaders and business owners, many of these individuals have ties to the command.”
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