FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Installation leaders and American Red Cross officials improved their continued partnership during an April 14 meeting at Fort Buchanan, where they signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to expand support to servicemembers and their families.
Col. John D. Samples, Fort Buchanan commanding officer; Command Sgt. Maj. Kimberly D. Bergman Gándara, installation senior enlisted advisor; and Lt. Col. Sean K. Cook, deputy garrison commander, met with Lee Vanessa Feliciano, American Red Cross regional executive for Puerto Rico, and her team to reaffirm and strengthen the collaboration.
The MOA defined roles and responsibilities for delivering Red Cross services to service members, beneficiaries and their families on the installation.
“I see significant opportunities to strengthen collaboration between our teams and the American Red Cross. I will ensure senior enlisted leaders across the installation are informed so they can connect military personnel and families with these resources. American Red Cross support certainly enhances morale and directly contributes to readiness,” said Bergman Gandara.
Samples emphasized the direct link between family support and mission success.
“Our mission is to enable warfighter readiness, and that includes taking care of families during mobilizations. Fort Buchanan units have consistently deployed over the past decades to Central and South America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Our role is to facilitate that process, and the American Red Cross remains a critical resource for our Soldiers and their families,” said Samples.
Meanwhile, Feliciano underscored the impact of the renewed agreement and increased accessibility for the military community.
“Today, we renewed our collaborative agreement with Fort Buchanan, allowing our organization to maintain a continuous presence on the installation. This agreement will bring us closer to service members and their families, making our support more accessible when they need it most,” said Feliciano.
The American Red Cross provides preparedness and resilience training for military families, particularly those preparing for mobilization, including pre-deployment briefings and family readiness support.
The organization also offers confidential assistance to service members, veterans and their families by connecting them to local, state and national resources through a network of chapters across the United States and offices on military installations worldwide.
Military families in need of emergency assistance can contact the Red Cross Hero Care Center at 877-272-7337 or submit a request through the Hero Care app. The local Red Cross office can be reached at 787-758-8150.
With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports a military community of approximately 15,000 service members, including Active Duty, Reserve, 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 forces anywhere, anytime.
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