Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

UNITED STATES ARMY GARRISON FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Type	U.S. Army Garrison
Built	1923
In use	1923–Present
Controlled by	Installation Management Command [United States Army]
Garrison	Installation Management Command
Commanders	Colonel John D. Cushman

United States Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico is the U.S. Army’s only active military installation in Puerto Rico. Located in the Metropolitan area of San Juan, it serves under the direct control of the Installation Management Command, Southeast Region (IMCOM-SE). Its mission is “to provide Soldiers, Civilians and their Families with a quality of life commensurate with the quality of their service.” Its vision statement “Home Away From Home” is to be the most desired Military Community in which to live, work and play.

History

On November 19, 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico during his second voyage to the New World. For four centuries, Puerto Rico was part of the Spanish Empire. There is a link between the history of Fort Buchanan and the history of the U.S. Army in Puerto Rico that dates back to the 19th century during the Spanish-American War. On July 25, 1898, U.S. forces landed in Guánica. On October 18, 1898 the last Spanish unit left the island and the Department of Porto Rico was established. Upon the signing of the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States and the island became an unincorporated territory of the U.S.

THE PORTO RICO REGIMENT On July 1, 1899, “The Porto Rico Regiment of Infantry, United States Army” was created. On July 1, 1901 Lieutenant Colonel James Anderson Buchanan commanded the regiment. He was later promoted to Colonel on July 21, 1902 and to Brigadier General in 1905. Buchanan served in Puerto Rico from 1898 to 1903. The military installation, Fort Buchanan, was named after Brigadier General James A. Buchanan, the first commander of the Puerto Rico Regiment.

CAMP BUCHANAN The Puerto Rico Regiment approved by Congress on May 27, 1908 was officially designated as the 65th Infantry Regiment in 1920, after defending the Canal Zone during World War I. A tract of 300 acres approximately six miles on the south shore of San Juan Bay was acquired to provide the regiment with a training area. The site was established in 1923 as Camp Buchanan. It served as a target range and maneuver area for Army and National Guard troops from 1923 to 1939.

FORT BUCHANAN In May 1940 the location was designated as Fort Buchanan and expanded initially to 1,514 and later to 4,500 acres. During World War II, Fort Buchanan housed a depot supplying the Army Antilles Department. It also processed local troops through its replacement center. The industrial complex included pier facilities, ammunition storage areas and an extensive railroad network connecting the military installation to the bay. Puerto Rican soldiers were deployed for WW II and Korea from the train station located where the Golf Club is presently located, to the rail-connected Army terminal by the bay. At the time, Fort Buchanan served as a citizens training camp and soldier processing station. After WW II the post was gradually reduced to its current 746 acres. Fort Buchanan remained a command depot with post facilities, a personnel center, and a special training center until closure as an Army post in 1966. On December 31, 1966, with the deactivation of the Antilles Command, Fort Buchanan came under the U.S. Navy control. In December 1971 Fort Buchanan returned to U.S. Army control under Third US Army. On July 1, 1973 Fort Buchanan came under direct control of Forces Command (FORSCOM). Following the Department of Defense Unified Command Plan, Fort Buchanan came under control of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), and on August 13, 1999 became the home of US Army South (USARSO), which subsequently departed in 2003. On October 1, 2002 Fort Buchanan became part of the Southeast Regional Office of the Installation Management Agency (IMA). On October 1, 2003, Fort Buchanan became an IMA Reserve installation. Later, on October 1, 2006 Fort Buchanan became a Garrison under Installation Management Command, Southeast Region (IMCOM-SE). On October 1, 2008 the Commanding General of the 81st Regional Readiness Command became Fort Buchanan’s Senior Mission Commander under the U.S. Army Reserve Command. Based on December 2008 Unified Command Plan, Fort Buchanan falls under the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) area of operations.

Today

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan consists of 746.16 acres (including Las Colinas, Coconut Grove and Coqui Gardens family housing) with a real estate value estimated at $560 million dollars. It serves a population of approximately 130,000 veterans, retirees, civilians, military personnel and their dependents in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Latin America. Fort Buchanan is host to a number of tenant activities, such as: the 1st Mission Support Command (the U.S. Army Reserve major tenant unit), other Army Reserve and Puerto Rico National Guard components, U.S. Navy Reserve, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), Defense Commissary Agency (DECA), Rodriguez Army Health Clinic (RAHC), Veterinary Treatment Facility, Defense Military Pay Office (DMPO), Defense Contracting Audit Agency, TRICARE, Community Based Warriors in Transition Unit (CBWTU), Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC), Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), among others. Fort Buchanan also hosts a number of non-DoD organizations that provide valuable services to Soldiers, their dependants and community members, such as: Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, U.S. Postal Service, AAFES Concessionaires and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. As directed by the Chief of the Army Reserve, Fort Buchanan’s island wide support mission consists of providing real property management and base operations support for all Army Reserve assets in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also, on a reimbursable basis, when requested, the garrison provides support to the Puerto Rico National Guard and other reserve components of other services. Fort Buchanan supports readiness and mission execution, providing quality services and facilities, optimizing resources, sustaining the environment and enhancing the well-being of the community. It conducts its mission sustained by seven directorates – Human Resources; Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation; Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security; Emergency Services, Logistics, Public Works and Information Management; seven support offices – Legal, Public Affairs, Religious Support, Equal Employment Opportunity, Safety, Internal Review and Contracting; and three management and control offices – Resource Management; Plans, Analysis and Integration; and the Administrative Office.

Among the factors that make U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan unique are: its key and strategic location providing fast and cost-effective support to missions in the Caribbean, Central and South America area of responsibility; its Hispanic cultural ties with Latin America; and its significant role as host of “joint” sister services’ Reserve Component of the United States Armed forces represented in Puerto Rico.

General information

The base contains:

• 3 Department of Defense Education Activity Schools
  • Antilles Elementary School
  • Antilles Middle School
  • Antilles High School
• 3 Military Family Housing Areas
  • Coconut Grove - Enlisted and Company Grade Officer Housing
  • Las Colinas - Senior Officer Housing
  • Coqui Gardens - Enlisted and Company Grade Housing
• Training Support Center
• Rodriguez Army Clinic
• VA Military Service Coordinator Office
• Fire Station
• Child Development Center
• Fort Buchanan Golf Course
• AAFES Post Exchange & Gas Station
• Class six shoppette
• DeCA Commissary
• Popeye's Fried Chicken
• Anthony's Pizza
• El Caney Lodge
• Fort Buchanan Federal Credit Union
• U.S. Post Office
• Sports & Fitness center
• The Water Spout Aquatics Center
• Bowling Center
• Veterinary Services
• Base Chapel
• Base Library
• Cabana Picnic Area
• Teen Center
• Ramos Hall
• The Maxie Williams Jr Field
• Mc Arthur Field
• Banco Popular
• Pentagon Federal Credit Union
• Community Club & Conference Center

Adjacent to Fort Buchanan:

• U.S. Navy Recruiting Station
• United States Military Entrance Processing Command MEPS
• United States Department of Veterans Affairs San Juan Regional Office

Armed Forces Reserve Center

An Armed Forces Reserve Center is under construction at Fort Buchanan to accommodate the U.S. Army Reserve 339th Battalion Headquarters and retention office. The Puerto Rico National Guard 480th MP Company. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve 3rd Longshoreman Platoon, the 4th Landing Support Battalion and the 4th Marine Logistics Group will move in to this new facility. The Fort Buchanan Armed Forces Reserve Center will serve about 400 personnel on a rotating basis with the maximum of 250 members per weekend.

Gallery

Ft. Buchanan Images

Ft. Buchanan 4th of July Celebration  Ft. Buchanan Pool Facility  Ft. Buchanan's Golf Club Cart

External links

• GlobalSecurity.org information page about Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico
• Fort Buchanan Home Page - official site.