FORT ALLEN, Puerto Rico -- While engineers from the Puerto Rico Army National Guard (PRARNG) are mobilized overseas, Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG) Soldiers are rotating through Puerto Rico to provide back-up hurricane relief and conduct groundwork operations as part of their annual training.
Three of five iterations of platoon-sized engineering elements from the OKARNG's 3120th, 1220th and 720th Companies, 120th Engineering Battalion, 90th Troop Command, visited La Isla de Puerto Rico, working diligently per the requests of leaders within the PRARNG at both Camp Santiago Joint Maneuver Training Center near Salinas and Fort Allen Training Center near Juana Díaz.
"Right now in Puerto Rico we have two engineer battalions, as our guys are being mobilized," said Lt. Col. Jose Velazquez, of Ponce, Puerto Rico, director of public works for Camp Santiago. "That's the reason for our need to have help in different projects here. It's also very good to have in case we get hit with a hurricane or something like that."
Whether in urban or rural areas, construction seemingly lies everywhere, either for maintenance or building new infrastructure. Dating back to Mayan, Egyptian, ancient Roman times and others, where engineering innovations paved the way to economic and technological growth, the importance of infrastructure has never wavered.
A significant piece in not only our nation, but all over the world, infrastructure is what keeps our cities moving, our farms growing, but most importantly, it keeps our citizens safe.
The mission of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is to deliver vital public military engineering services, partner in peace and war to strengthen our nation's security, energize the economy and reduce risks from disasters.
Coordination for the missions began last year, when the PRARNG's engineering battalions were given notice of a mobilization overseas. In late 2015, members of the 120th transported engineering equipment to the Island to stage at Camp Santiago and utilize for future missions, while Velazquez and leaders of the OKARNG discussed operations and the needs of the Puerto Rican force.
The first two rotations focused on constructing roads at Camp Santiago. One road is located alongside the main electrical lines where the post receives power from Salinas, enabling seamless access for vehicles and equipment if ever the electrical lines need maintenance. The other road, nearly 2.6 miles long, is located in front of the perimeter of the post and so far has been the largest project completed since the rotations began.
Projects for the third rotation are at Fort Allen, a similar training center to Oklahoma's Camp Gruber Training Center. The mission for Soldiers in Fort Allen is to clear out debris from a clogged ditch that floods part of the post and to clear out an area to be utilized as a future training area.
Overseeing each project at Camp Santiago and Fort Allen is 1st Lt. Sean Lackey, of Mustang, Oklahoma, executive officer for 3120th Company, 120th Engineer Battalion. He also serves as the liaison between Puerto Rico and Oklahoma engineering units.
"Working with the Puerto Rico National Guard has been great," Lackey said. "They have been a great host for us and supporting us every step of the way. It has provided me with great experience with working with other Guard units outside the state."
With Lackey on the ground overseeing the projects and serving as the liaison, operations are able to run smoothly through project completion.
While the focus is primarily on clearing overgrown vegetation, building roads and excavating ditches to prevent flooding in both Puerto Rico's Camp Santiago and Fort Allen, Oklahoma's engineers also have an additional purpose: hurricane relief.
"With our main role providing hurricane relief in the event of hurricane disaster, I can effectively communicate to the units here and back home," Lackey said.
Since the PRARNG's engineers are currently mobilized overseas, Puerto Rico's infrastructure is left vulnerable to natural disasters. Hurricane season lasts from June through November, resulting in more than half of the year where the Island is threatened.
Though a hurricane hasn't hit the Island this season, the groundwork operations still provide an excellent training experience for both new and seasoned engineer Soldiers.
If a hurricane strikes the Island, destructive winds, floods and landslides could cause significant damage, creating the need to clear or block roads, and rebuild infrastructure and homes for some of the Island's 3.5 million residents.
"If there's any kind of hurricane or tropical storm, we are here to help the Puerto Rican government and assess the situation," 2nd Lt. Jared Cannedy said, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, platoon leader in 1220th Company and part of the third rotation.
The rotations also give OKARNG Soldiers an opportunity to experience other cultures, from work practices to everyday Puerto Rican lifestyles. Pfc. Brooke Gilmore, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, member of 1220th, experienced being outside of the United States for the first time.
"I think being able to come to Puerto Rico is a good way to get out and see the world while you're still working," Gilmore said. "You're getting paid to tour the world and see what else is out there."
The fourth iteration will occur later this year, with a fifth currently being planned. Both will focus on completing projects from previous rotations before the PRARNG's engineer battalions return home.
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