Transparency in Action at Fort Buchanan

FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO – Col. John D. Samples, the installation’s commanding officer; Lt. Col. Sean K. Cook, deputy commander; Command Sgt. Maj. Kimberly D. Bergman-Gándara, installation command sergeant major; and Ulises Marrero, deputy to the garrison commander, provided updates on various topics, from upcoming events to hurricane season preparations, during a town hall meeting held July 11 at Ramos Hall.

The meeting began with Col. Samples addressing the attendees.

"Thank you all for what you do daily and for being such incredible teammates. We are here to enable the readiness of the warfighter, but we also have a responsibility to take care of our civilian teammates. We all fight together, and we all get stronger together. The best way to do that is to get to know each other in forums like this town hall," Samples said while sharing information about several upcoming events.

During the meeting, several employees were recognized for their service and achievements while serving at the Army's home in the Caribbean.

Five years of federal civil service:

Jenniffer M. Diaz Severino, Yesmarie Cueto, Ashley Hines, and Kiara Torres.

Ten years of federal civil service:

Manuel Ortiz, Wilfred Rivera, Herbert Rosario, Rafael Lopez, and Marco Antonio Santiago.

Fifteen years of federal civil service:

Pedro Echevarria, Luis Ramos, Enrique Valle, Luis Barajas, and Julio Media.

Twenty years of federal civil service:

Esther Barrios and Isabel Bonilla.

Twenty-five years of civil service to the nation:

Geomarie Acosta, Evelyn Dela Cruz, Luis Angel Valentin, Ruben Maldonado, and Anibal Negron.

Thirty years of federal civil service:

Winfrid Melendez, Isaac Cruz Jr., and Rosario Ruiz Velez.

Thirty-five years of federal civil service: Edith Otero.

Forty years of service to the nation: Irma Muñoz.

Additionally, Julio Medina and Ignacio González were recognized for their assistance to the military honors team during the preparations and rendering of honors for the burial of two fallen heroes in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

After the awards ceremony, Marrero also provided an update on human resources management at the command.

"Even though we have had some employees retire recently, we always have other teammates ready to continue the mission. While there will be some vacancies that we will not fill, the fact is that at Fort Buchanan, we have not shut down any services. We have been able to maintain operations because of each one of you," Marrero stated.

The meeting also included the participation of Ernesto Morales from the National Weather Service who provided the installation workforce with an update on the hurricane season.

This quarterly town hall meeting reflects the installation's commitment to transparency and open communication among Soldiers, civilians, and families who live, work, serve, train, and play at Fort Buchanan.

With an annual budget of over $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports approximately 15,000 active-duty Reserve personnel, Puerto Rico National Guard members, Marine Corps Reserve members, and Navy Reserve personnel. The installation serves as a readiness enhancement platform, ensuring that military personnel are prepared for deployment at anytime and anywhere.