Photo By Carlos Cuebas | Maj. Gen. Patricia R. Wallace, Commanding General, 81st Readiness Division and Fort...... read more read more
FORT BUCHANAN, PUERTO RICO- Maj. Gen. Patricia R. Wallace, Commanding General, 81st Readiness Division and Fort Buchanan's senior commander, visited the island March 31 to April 3, to assess the priorities of local units.
"We have the Army Garrison here and the 1st Mission Support Command. I wanted to come here to understand their priorities and allow units to give me feedback and build relationships," said Wallace, who was accompanied by Command Sgt. Maj. Benny Hubbard, 81st Readiness Division command sergeant major.
The general indicated that this visit allowed her to become a better leader.
"It has been a very insightful visit. How our soldiers and leaders view their mission here on the island is unique. So, when I get different perspectives and add them all together, it makes me a better leader and helps me think strategically differently. It also allows me to ensure the priorities are aligned with our Chief of the Army Reserve's priorities," added Wallace.
During the visit, Wallace and Patrick J. Appelman, Installation Management Command (IMCOM) Readiness Director, Col. John. D. Samples, Fort Buchanan commander, and other installation leaders and partners participated in the Installation Planning Board (IPB).
The meeting participants included Maj. Gen. Miguel A. Méndez, Puerto Rico Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Carlos E. Gorbea, commanding general of the 1st Mission Support Command; Lt. Col. Faustino Rodriguez, commander of the Rodriguez Army Health Clinic; Cmdr. Mathew Lopez, U.S. Navy Reserve Puerto Rico; Capt. Orlando Carrasquillo, commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Landing Support Company Detachment 1, and members of the installation directorates.
The IPB is the principal executive forum for integrating all installation support efforts and aligning tenant activities with the senior commander's vision. It is the culminating governance body for working groups and feeder boards held cyclically. It aligns resources and secures senior leader support to achieve senior commander priorities and mission partner needs.
"The IPB is the result of a series of feeder boards such as the Real Property Planning Board, the Interactive Customer Evaluation process, the Project Budget Advisory Committee, among others, all focused on our three lines of efforts of personnel, readiness and installation infrastructure," said Samples.
Wallace was impressed by the Fort Buchanan IPB presentation.
"The work that the team put in and the collaboration of all the joint partners, including the Navy, the Marines, and the National Guard. The fact that the team got together and agreed on priorities is great. Sometimes, there are environments where that could be difficult to do. I can definitively tell there was a good relationship and partnership at Fort Buchanan, and the priorities are focused on our warfighters, readiness, and families. I can now go back and do a further assessment and get some feedback to the team," added Wallace.
The commanding general seized the opportunity to visit different areas around the post, including Vega Gate, the live fire training site, the Training Support Center, the gym currently being renovated, and the new housing units that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District is building at Coconut Grove.
"Fort Buchanan is the Department of the Army's representation in the Caribbean. When you talk about all the elements that make up a good relationship and partnership and enable the readiness of the warfighter, Fort Buchanan is it. The significance of Fort Buchanan is great, as it always has been. I look forward to continuing to lead the organization so we can continue that tradition and legacy," said the general.
With an annual budget of over $500 million, Fort Buchanan serves a military community of approximately 15,000 active-duty Reserve, National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, and Navy Reserve personnel. Fort Buchanan's mission is to serve as a readiness enhancement platform and facilitate the deployment of military personnel to any place at any time.
| Date Taken: | 04.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2025 17:24 |
| Story ID: | 494428 |
| Location: | PR |
| Web Views: | 144 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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