FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO – Service members, federal and local law enforcement personnel, civilians and community partners gathered Aug. 14 at the installation community club for the 17th annual Antiterrorism Symposium, part of the Army’s Antiterrorism Awareness Month.
Fort Buchanan Garrison Manager Ulises Marrero opened the event by underscoring the installation’s central role in protecting the Army’s presence in the Caribbean.
“Fort Buchanan is the home of the Army in the Caribbean, and what we do here directly impacts the safety and resilience of our service members, families and surrounding communities,” Marrero said. “Our installation plays a central role in safeguarding critical capabilities and supporting the readiness of units across the entire island.”
The symposium provided participants with updates on emerging threats and current security challenges. Experts briefed on transportation security, Coast Guard operations against narcoterrorism, counter‑unmanned aircraft systems, maritime smuggling routes and cyber vulnerabilities.
Keynote speaker Javier Alejandro Delgado, executive director of the Puerto Rico Fusion Center and an Army special forces veteran, emphasized how terrorism has evolved.
“Terrorism has changed,” Delgado said. “What we remember terrorism to be during the events of 9/11 isn’t necessarily the type of terrorism that we are going to see today. It has morphed. The lines have blurred, and we have to change with it so that we can be better prepared to identify the threat before it becomes a terrorist threat.”
Delgado added that effective antiterrorism depends on sharing information across agencies and jurisdictions. “This isn’t about who has the most information or intelligence,” Delgado said. “It’s about who shares it the most, and that’s how we become powerful. That’s how we become safe, and that’s how we really can support the homeland security front.”
This year’s symposium followed a week of heightened regional coordination. Defense and security leaders from across the Western Hemisphere met in Panama for the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition discussions, signaling increased multinational focus on transnational threats and regional cooperation.
Marrero noted that those discussions align with Fort Buchanan’s priorities.
“This week, regional U.S. partners met in Panama to strengthen multinational strategies against transnational criminal networks,” Marrero said. “Their discussions highlight a broader momentum across the hemisphere, and one that our work here at Fort Buchanan directly impacts.”
He also emphasized that partnerships remain the installation’s greatest advantage.
“Our greatest strength is partnership with federal agencies, Puerto Rico law enforcement, emergency managers and community organizations,” Marrero said. “When we train, share information and plan together, we create a defense that is stronger than any single threat we will face.”
Fort Buchanan’s focus on preparedness, interagency collaboration and shared intelligence ensures Puerto Rico remains aligned with broader security priorities. By bringing military, federal, local and community stakeholders together, the installation strengthens its ability to detect, deter and respond to threats affecting the Caribbean and the homeland.
With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports about 15,000 active-duty personnel, Army Reserve Soldiers, Puerto Rico National Guard members, Marine Corps Reserve members and Navy Reserve personnel. As the Army’s home in the Caribbean, the installation provides the infrastructure, services and support that enable military forces to train, mobilize and deploy worldwide.