Fort Buchanan strengthens its relationship with local authorities

FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO- As part of Fort Buchanan’s community outreach efforts, Col. Charles N. Moulton, commander of the only U.S. Army installation in the Caribbean, received Luis Dávila Pernas, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) at the command’s headquarters, Dec. 14.

According to the organization’s website, PRFAA serves as a primary focal point in the nation’s capital for the Governor, the Governor’s staff, and senior state officials.

During the encounter, Moulton briefed Dávila Pernas on basic aspects of the U.S. army as an organization, and about Fort Buchanan’s mission, relevance, and capabilities and how it supports the needs of the nation.

“Our mission is to effectively deliver base support and services to enable holistic readiness for our warfighters,” said Moulton during the presentation.

At the end of the brief, Dávila Pernas reflected on Puerto Rico’s strategic importance.

“At PRFAA we are aware of key national security issues, especially when we look at China’s and Russia’s expansion in the Caribbean. It is very real. If you look at countries that are very close to Puerto Rico, China invested a lot of money, especially during the pandemic. In that context, Puerto Rico is an important line of defense in the western hemisphere,” said Dávila Pernas.

The official also visited Fort Buchanan’s Training Support Center, where he had firsthand experience with the Engagement Skills Trainer, a digital system designed to simulate live weapon training events with individual and crew-served weapons qualification, including individual marksmanship, small unit collective and judgmental escalation-of-force exercises in a controlled environment.

“Fort Buchanan is very important. I am very impressed with these facilities. You can count on me as a trusted partner. We at PRFAA realize the importance of the installation and will always support Fort Buchanan in our efforts at Washington DC as needed,” added Dávila Pernas.

As the U.S. Army’s home in the region, Fort Buchanan serves a diverse military community of approximately 15,000 active duty, Reserve and National Guard military, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Operational Support Center.