Rafael E. Marín, VBOC director conducts the Boots to Business workshop, Nov 17, at the Fort Buchanan Training Support Center. B2B is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) of the Small Business Administration (SBA), as part of the Department of the Army’s Transition Assistance Program.

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico—Hector D. Alejandro Pérez, a native of Coamo, Puerto Rico, retired U.S. Army sergeant, and combat veteran, recently participated in the latest Boots to Business (B2B) workshop hosted by the installation on Nov.17-18 at the Training Support Center.

B2B is an entrepreneurial education and training program offered by the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) of the Small Business Administration (SBA), as part of the Department of the Army’s Transition Assistance Program. The program provides participants with an overview of business ownership and is open to service members, including those in the National Guard and Reserve, as well as military spouses.

"After going through this first training, I now understand the laws and regulations of Puerto Rico, including permits, banking, and other procedures—information that is specific to Puerto Rico and that I was unaware of after living for over 27 years on the mainland," said Alejandro Pérez, who aims to establish a business specializing in accessories sublimation.

Rafael E. Marín, VBOC director, explained the purpose of the workshop.

"We are dedicated exclusively to providing business training for veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families. The B2B program equips entrepreneurs with the tools needed to develop their own business plans and access funding. Our central philosophy is to empower the entrepreneur, emphasizing that success requires dedication, responsibility, and hard work, while the center serves as a guide in that process, not as an executor," added Marín.

For those seeking more information about upcoming workshops at Fort Buchanan, please contact Wilbin Colon Vargas at (787) 707-3546 or via email at wilbin.c.colonvargas.civ@army.mil, or Rafael E. Marín at (787) 705-7964 or via email at rmarin@bvocpr.org.

With an annual budget of approximately $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports a military community of about 15,000 personnel, including active-duty members, Reservists, Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve personnel. The installation's mission is to enhance readiness and enable the deployment of military personnel anywhere, anytime.