FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Construction of a modern operations center is underway at Fort Buchanan, which represents a significant investment in infrastructure that further develops command-and-control capabilities and enhances mission readiness across the Caribbean.
Located adjacent to Davidson Road, at the Army’s home in the Caribbean, the approximately $30 million operations center will provide critical facilities to support units assigned to the 1st Mission Support Command and improve the installation’s ability to enable, sustain, and deploy forces.
“It’s important to mention the economic investment for two reasons,” said Col. John D. Samples, commander of Fort Buchanan, during a recent newspaper interview. “The first is to demonstrate our operational relevance and infrastructure to support the warfighter, and the second is to highlight the economic impact we have on the local economy of nearly $500 million per year.”
Samples added that ongoing construction projects also generate employment within surrounding communities. The construction represents a $3.7 million payment to the municipality of Guaynabo.
The operations center is the latest in a series of major infrastructure initiatives at the Army’s home in the Caribbean, reflecting Fort Buchanan’s strategic importance. Last year, the installation enabled the global mobilization and deployment of several units in support of missions to Honduras, the Middle East, and Europe, underscoring its role as a readiness enabler platform. Last week, Fort Buchanan supported 1st MSC’s “Army of the Caribbean” exercise, enabling the training of approximately 2,000 soldiers.
During a recent visit to Fort Buchanan, Lt. Gen. Robert D. Harter, commanding general of the Army Reserve Command, highlighted the installation’s critical role.
“On America’s worst day, our soldiers are going to be leaving from Puerto Rico, going into the fight. There is no chance they are going to Fort Hood or Fort Bragg to continue to get ready. They are going to get ready right here. Fort Buchanan and Camp Santiago are critical to ensure that our men and women in uniform are ready to go,” said Harter.
Other ongoing and planned projects include the construction of 26 modern military housing units valued at approximately $32 million. In the coming months, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to complete contractor selection for the construction of a microgrid, an estimated $52 million project.
“We are working on this microgrid to create energy resilience without impacting the local electrical infrastructure, while continuing to invest in the local community,” Samples said.
Additionally, the installation plans to begin construction of advanced skills training barracks in the coming weeks, at a cost of $39 million.
These infrastructure investments highlight Fort Buchanan’s transformation to continue supporting warfighters in the Caribbean and beyond. For more information on the infrastructure projects, contact Rafael Cardona at mailto:rafael.a.cardona@usace.army.milor Luis E. Torres at (787) 707-4044 or mailto:luis.e.torres.civ@army.mil
Fort Buchanan supports approximately 15,000 military personnel, including active-duty, Army Reserve, Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve members. The installation’s mission is to enable readiness and facilitate the deployment of forces anytime, anywhere.