Journal Staff Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky, commander of Joint Task Force-Micronesia, is well aware of the status of Guam and the islands of the Northern Mariana Islands after the storm, he told the Journal on April 16.
The admiral is also ready for JTF and other military departments to assist with post-Typhoon Sinlaku recovery as Guam went into Condition of Readiness 4 at noon on April 16. The NMI was still under a Shelter In Place as of that date. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency receive all requests.
“Everything that the Department of War is doing is in support of FEMA and the local governments here, and each of the requests go through FEMA and get validated and approved before we provide that support,” he said. That being the case, Lasky said he is also able to determine support needed. “Unless of course it’s a more urgent need, at which point commanders have some latitude to provide support, protection …, “ he said.
As to what exactly will be needed, as the Government of Guam and the Government of the Northern Marianas Islands begin to assess destruction and recovery, Lasky said the U.S. military would be part of the assessment teams. “We will do those assessments along with them,” he said. People from the United States Army Pacific, and INDOPACOM are already in the region, Lasky said. “We’re working closely with them and we’re in close connection with both governments here in Guam and in the CNMI, and working together on those assessments.”
“We have a good sense of things here in Guam of course because the storm has passed,” he said. Lasky said that appraisal is still ongoing.
The admiral said that the NMI is at the forefront of concern. “We are certainly looking at the CNMI as a priority, but that does not mean that we’ve taken our eyes off Guam. There is still work to be done here, so we’re still working closely with the government here,” he said.
Assessments of the Glass Breakwater at the Port of Guam, are still to come, Lasky said. “Andersen Air Force Base is still working. They had some higher winds there, so they’re still working through things. But they are certainly able to support some traffic and I think – importantly – helicopter operations at Andersen.”
As to other help, he said, “I think there are a number of important capabilities already here and more that could come. … The Air Force has some construction capabilities that are already on Tinian. There are some construction folks now on Tinian and in Saipan and of course there are more here in Guam. As we get a fair sense of what the damage is, I think we’ll make best use of the capabilities that are already here.”
According to Journal files, Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero made a formal request to President Donald Trump on March 11 for a pre-landfall Emergency Disaster Declaration to support the mobilization of critical resources to the island in response to Typhoon Sinlaku. The governor provided to the White House, through the FEMA Regional 9Administrator, a detailed timeline of the storm’s progression since earlier in the week when it was still a tropical disturbance, according to her office.
Lasky said the early application by Guam and the NMI was helpful. “I think requesting early just clears the pathway for us to provide support as early as we’re able. And of course, as the storm was making its way here, we were in close coordination with the governor.”
The admiral has visited and met with island leadership frequently since his arrival in Guam in May 2025, and recognized how this has helped in the current adverse situation caused by the typhoon. “There is just no replacement for … close relationships,” he said. “We end up at meetings from here to Palau, to Washington, D.C. to Hawaii with the leaders in Micronesia and building a little familiarity helps and trust makes things move a lot more smoothly and better, especially in a crisis.”
He also said, “I’m grateful that I’ve had the time to get to know the governors so it was comfortable coordinating and collaborating together as we got word the storm was heading this way.”
Lasky said relationships on Guam are sometimes viewed inaccurately. “Sometimes we hear Guam in particular talked about as a military community and a Guam community, and of course, we don’t see it that way – we’re part of the community. And as I’ve mentioned to people a number of times, one of the things that’s particularly enjoyable about this tour is just how welcoming the community is.”
The admiral referred also to the workforce on the bases. “We have people that grew up here and were raised here that work on the bases and many that are in uniform and serving here. And of course those that are here serving on Guam for their first tour – many of them live out in town … We like to think of it as one Guam and everybody comes away from it feeling really good about the experience here.”
Lasky said the current post-typhoon situation in many ways does not feel unusual to him. “Maybe that is because of the experience along the way. I’ve commanded four times and at this point been part of the senior leadership of organizations nine times – either as the commander, the deputy or the chief of staff – and those experiences have been just all around the world and a crisis is a crisis. Much of it is familiar, to include a little bit of experience with storms and recovery elsewhere.”
As to whether the typhoon provides an opportunity for “bad actors” in the Asian region, the admiral said, “We are always watching out. We’re always looking for someone trying to be opportunistic. That is how we approach every day.” Given the typhoon, Lasky said, “We are fortunate to have such a large [military] professional network focused on this event, and the United States government broadly. We’ve got great teams in our partners, great teams in the local government and then a whole network of Department of War commands and personnel that are backing things up here.”
While thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, the admiral said that if there is one plus to going through the typhoon, it is that, “We are going to come out of this stronger as a team. It will be another opportunity for us to work with everybody involved, and really overall improve our readiness for the next event.” mbj
