Under Secretary of the Army visits US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico

Photo By Carlos Cuebas | Under Secretary of the Army Hon. Dr. Joseph Westphal (left) is briefed by Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernandez, senior U.S. Army Reserve officer in the Caribbean, (right) during the Under Secretary’s visit to the 1st Mission Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico headquarters, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, March 16, while other staff officers observe. During the presentation, Fernandez explained the command’s capabilities, readiness and the support that the largest U.S. Army command in the Caribbean has provided to the nation during the last decade.  

FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO

03.16.2012

Story by Maj. Carlos Cuebas 

1st Mission Support Command

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico - The Under Secretary of the Army, Hon. Dr. Joseph Westphal visited the 1st Mission Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico headquarters, March 16.

During the visit, Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernández, accompanied by Command Sgt. Maj. Rene Rivera, briefed Westphal about the command’s capabilities, readiness and the support that the largest U.S. Army command in the Caribbean has provided to the nation during the last decade.

“Approximately ninety five percent of our units have mobilized since 9/11. Despite that fact, voluntarism in the island continues being strong,” said Fernández.

During the briefing to Westphal, Fernández also explained details about other missions being conducted by the U.S. Army Reserve-Puerto Rico.

“Beside the continuous support that we provide to the War Against Terrorism, our current operations also include annual training exercises, both in the states and overseas, as well as participation in Theater Security Cooperation missions,” said Fernández.

Participation in Theater Security Cooperation missions has been identified by Army Reserve leaders as one of the possible ways the Reserve forces could apply the operational nature of its forces and the institutional knowledge gained after then years of persistent conflict, once the operations in Afghanistan end.

The future of the Army was also a subject of discussion during the encounter between Fernández and Westphal.

“Naturally, as we reshape the force, we have to be much more creative in sustaining the readiness for the Reserve forces. We need to look at the last ten years of combat operations and how you contributed to that effort, what lessons we take from that and how we need to be ready for future challenges, while sustaining the requirements here in Puerto Rico,” said Westphal, while explaining the future of the forces, under the current reality of fiscal constraints.

“If you look at the historical cycle of funding for the Department of Defense, we had continuous ups and downs,” added Westphal.
Before 9/11 the Army Reserve was essentially a strategic force engaged primarily on training one weekend a month and two weeks every year. After 9/11 the Reserves became an operational force providing capabilities to the nation in an extended basis.

“It would be easy for the Army to fall back to the pre 9/11 days, but we do not want to do that,” said Westphal.

The meeting between the Under Secretary of the Army and the senior U.S. Army Reserve officer in the Caribbean took place as the Pentagon prepares to reduce spending by $487 billion in the next decade.

• Date Taken: 03.16.2012
• Date Posted: 03.19.2012 11:35
• Story ID: 85449
• Location: FORT BUCHANAN, PR