Marine Corps

FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico— Soldiers, Army Civilians, and community members gathered at the Fort Buchanan Community Club Jan. 23 for an installation town hall focused on communication, collaboration, and trust.

Hosted by Col. John D. Samples, Fort Buchanan garrison commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Kimberly D. Bergman Gándara, installation command sergeant major, the event provided updates on ongoing and upcoming actions across the installation and reinforced leadership’s commitment to transparency.

“This town hall showcases with actions how we build trust with transparency and collaboration. These are not empty words; they represent how we do things at Fort Buchanan and why we are able to accomplish our very important mission,” said Samples.

Samples emphasized the importance of the workforce in supporting readiness across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.

“Every member of the Fort Buchanan team contributes to our mission success. Thanks to you, we are able to enable the readiness of the warfighters in a time when everyone is looking at the Caribbean,” said Samples.

The town hall also included employee recognition awards highlighting the professionalism and dedication of Soldiers and Civilians assigned to the Army’s home in the Caribbean.

Installation town halls are held regularly to strengthen communication and engagement with Service Members, Families, and stakeholders in support of Fort Buchanan’s mission.

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.

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, in coordination with the U.S. Army, hosted the grand opening of the Camp Pendleton Army Veterinary Services and Veterinary Treatment Facility on January 22, 2026.

The newly constructed Camp Pendleton Army Veterinary Services and Treatment Facility marks a significant investment in the health and welfare of military working animals, privately owned animals, and our military community. This new state-of-the-art facility is triple the size of the previous clinic and provides enhanced care for Military Working Dogs (MWD) ensuring their health and operational readiness.

This larger facility allows the Veterinary Care Team to deliver more efficient, high-quality care for the privately owned pets of service members and retirees. The Veterinary Care Team also provides facility support to the MWD Kennel, Domestic Animal Control, and Stepp Stables. The new Veterinary Treatment Facility continues to offer a wide range of services including preventive care, diagnostic testing, health certificates for travel, and select surgical procedures.

Beyond animal care, the new Veterinary Services Facility houses a dedicated space for the Veterinary Food Protection Team. This team plays a critical role in food safety and defense, ensuring the quality and safety of more than $250 million worth of food annually across 150 support facilities on two installations.

“This state-of-the-art facility represents our unwavering dedication to the health and well-being of not only our military working dogs and the beloved pets of our service members and their families, but also our commitment to providing food safety and defense to ensure safe food is available for our military community locally and while deployed,” said U.S. Army Capt. Amy Compton, Camp Pendleton Branch Chief, Veterinary Readiness Activity.

The task order includes options for the renovation of three additional warehouses, along with options to outfit the warehouses with furniture, fixtures, and equipment for a total cumulative value of $30,358,960. The refurbishments will include new roofing, siding, and insulation, the construction of office spaces and restrooms, upgrading fire suppression systems and electrical power, and other activities that will make the buildings suitable for use.

“This renovation exemplifies the enduring partnership between the U.S. and Australia, blending respect for the historic role the warehouses played during World War II with a shared commitment to modernizing critical infrastructure to support U.S. Army and Marine Corps long term equipment storage for training exercises in Australia and within the Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) theater,” said NAVFAC Southwest Pacific Deterrence Initiative Program Manager Earl Estrella.

Work will be performed in North Bandiana, Australia with an expected completion date in August 2027.
This project falls under the U.S. Force Posture Initiative (USFPI), which aims to demonstrate the strength and commitment of the US-Australia alliance, enhance deterrence, and promote regional stability and security.
The procurement for this project was swift and utilized an Indo-Pacific multiple award construction contract vehicle to promote competition and success. The project marks another construction milestone for the USFPI and Australia team.

NAVFAC Southwest supports planning, design, construction, real estate, environmental and public works for U.S Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force and other supported federal agencies in the Southwest region and in various locations within the INDOPACOM theater to include Southern Australia.