Latin America & Caribbean District News Releases

Maj. Palomino assumes deputy commander role for district

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 14:17:00 GMT

A key leadership transition took place this month as Maj. Cristina Palomino assumed duties as deputy commander of the Latin America & Caribbean District, succeeding Maj. Ricardo Herrero, who will move into a new role within the district’s Programs and Project Management Division. As Deputy Commander, Maj. Palomino will help lead the Corps’ first district to integrate missions across Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 33 nations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

USACE connects with industry to prepare for major Guajataca Dam repairs

Lynda Yezzi — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 19:39:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Latin America & Caribbean District hosted a two‑day Industry Outreach Event on July 28–29, 2026, to brief construction industry representatives and Federal and Commonwealth partners on the upcoming Guajataca Dam Permanent Repair Project in Puerto Rico. The event, held in San Juan and at the Guajataca Dam site, was designed to share project information, outline anticipated contract opportunities, and gather industry feedback ahead of future solicitations.

District SB chief earns DoD Small Business professional credential

Office of Corporate Communications — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:06:00 GMT

Mariano Torres‑Feliciano, chief of the Small Business Program for the Latin America & Caribbean District, earned the Department of Defense Small Business Professional Credential on July 2, 2026. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Torres‑Feliciano’s professional development and the highlights the district’s commitment to strengthening opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses across the region.

Weander assumes command of USACE’s Latin America & Caribbean District

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:01:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO — In a ceremony held June 23, 2026, at the historic Castillo San Cristóbal, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District was officially redesignated as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Latin America & Caribbean District, marking the beginning of a new era for the organization and its expanding regional mission. Immediately following the redesignation and the unfurling of the new district colors, Lt. Col. Nathaniel Weander assumed command, becoming the first commander to lead the district under its new name and expanded area of responsibility. The ceremony also marked the departure of Col. Charles L. Decker, whose leadership guided the transformation of Task Force Virgin Islands Puerto Rico into the Caribbean District and ultimately positioned the organization for its redesignation as the Latin America & Caribbean District.

Caribbean District gets new name, expanded mission

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:15:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District took an historic step on June 23, 2026, when it transitioned to a new name, new flag, and significantly expanded mission as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Latin America & Caribbean District. The change reflects the district’s growing role across the Western Hemisphere and builds on more than a century of Corps of Engineers work in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the broader Caribbean.

A 30-year legacy of service

Lynda Yezzi — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:04:00 GMT

After three decades of military service, Col. Charles L. Decker ended his final command with the U.S. Army on June 23, 2026, following a change of command ceremony at Castillo San Cristóbal that also marked the transition of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District to its new name and expanded mission as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Latin America & Caribbean District.

Caribbean District prepares for 2026 Hurricane Season with multi‑day exercise

Lynda Yezzi — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:06:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and runs through November 30, is forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to be near‑to-below‑average, meaning fewer named storms and hurricanes expected than in recent years. Despite the quieter outlook, emergency managers across the region emphasized that it only takes ONE storm to significantly impact Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To strengthen preparedness ahead of the season, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District hosted a multi‑day Hurricane Tabletop Exercise (TTX) June 9–10, bringing together more than 50 federal personnel from across the South Atlantic Division (SAD), Southwestern Division (SWD), and interagency partners including FEMA, the National Weather Service (NWS), and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Ceremony launches next phase of Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 15 May 2026 15:32:00 GMT

A groundbreaking ceremony held May 14, 2026, marked the start of Contract 3 Phase 1 of the Caño Martín Peña Ecosystem Restoration Project, an effort led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District; the Corporación del Proyecto ENLACE del Caño Martín Peña; and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. The event represents a major milestone in one of Puerto Rico’s most significant environmental and community‑focused civil works initiatives.

Inside the Leadership Lab

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:29:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, P.R. — The South Atlantic Division’s FY26 Leadership Development Program (LDP) participants stepped into a fully immersive leadership laboratory during their April 13-16, 2026, visit to the Corps of Engineers Caribbean District, where four days of training were transformed into a hands‑on practicum in communication, decision‑making, and mission execution in a complex operating environment. This marks the second LDP class to train with the Caribbean District this year, underscoring how USACE’s newest district is rapidly becoming a hub for leadership development and mission-learning across the South Atlantic Division.

Fort Buchanan breaks ground on AST barracks

Lynda Yezzi — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:41:00 GMT

Fort Buchanan marked a major milestone March 23, 2026, with the groundbreaking of its new Advanced Skills Training (AST) Barracks, a $22.27 million military construction project that will expand the installation’s capacity to support short‑term institutional training for Soldiers across Puerto Rico. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Caribbean District is overseeing the project.

SAD’s future leaders gather in Puerto Rico

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:42:00 GMT

Emerging leaders from across the South Atlantic Division traveled to Puerto Rico in early March 2026 as part of the South Atlantic Division’s Regional Leadership Development Program (SAD RLDP), spending a week immersed in the Caribbean District’s mission and operating environment. The cohort explored some of the district’s most complex engineering, environmental, and military construction projects while learning directly from district leaders, technical experts, and senior division leadership. The visit offered a rare, hands‑on look at how USACE delivers critical infrastructure and resilience projects in a uniquely challenging island setting.

Caribbean District and SAME highlight historic infrastructure momentum

Lynda Yezzi — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:04:00 GMT

More than 400 federal leaders, A/E/C professionals, and small business partners converged in Puerto Rico in early March for the 2026 Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Industry Day, marking one of the most significant federal‑industry engagements in the Caribbean in decades. Across two days of briefings, panels, and technical sessions a clear message emerged: the Caribbean is entering a new era of infrastructure investment, resilience planning, and federal‑industry collaboration. And the pace of work is accelerating. From the opening remarks to the final technical sessions, the conference underscored both the scale of opportunity ahead and the shared responsibility to deliver on it.

Caribbean District marks its first year with project progress, partnerships, and positive impacts

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:45:00 GMT

The Corps of Engineers Caribbean District closed out our first full year as a new district with a record of progress, positive impacts, strengthened partnerships, and enhanced regional security cooperation across Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the wider Caribbean region. Established to bring dedicated engineering capacity to the region, the district reached full operational capability in 2025, standing up teams, systems, and mission support functions while simultaneously delivering a $10 billion portfolio of projects that strengthened communities and protected critical infrastructure.

Caribbean District concludes first Hurricane Season

Lynda Yezzi — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:37:00 GMT

From tabletop exercises to flood fight readiness, the Corps of Engineers Caribbean District proved its preparedness and resilience during the 2025 hurricane season across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Caribbean District completes major water main relocation

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 12:13:00 GMT

More than 100,000 residents kept their drinking water flowing in San Juan in late October when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District relocated a critical 30‑inch water main -- a milestone in the massive Río Puerto Nuevo Flood Risk Management Project. By timing the work with an emergency shutdown already underway by the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, engineers avoided a separate disruption to the city’s supply while advancing construction on the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge. The relocation clears the way for replacement of the Roosevelt Avenue Bridge and for deepening and widening the Río Piedras, key elements of the broader flood risk management project.

With FOC reached, Caribbean District sets strategic course

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 20:03:00 GMT

After almost a century of providing engineering excellence in the Caribbean, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now has a permanent presence in the area. The Caribbean District, formed in 2024, officially reached Full Operational Capability (FOC) recently, solidifying its role as the 43rd district within USACE and the first permanent district focused on civil works in the Caribbean since 1950. This milestone marks the culmination of a multi-year transformation from Task Force Virgin Islands Puerto Rico (TF VIPR) into a fully functioning district, headquartered in San Juan.

Setting a new standard in concrete safety

Lynda Yezzi — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 18:34:00 GMT

A structural engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District recently reshaped the way engineers design concrete buildings thanks to groundbreaking research he did for his PhD in Structural Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Honoring engineering excellence in Puerto Rico

Lynda Yezzi — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:47:00 GMT

In the proud tradition of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, two exceptional leaders – Maricarmen Crespo and Chad Gillan – have been awarded the prestigious Bronze de Fleury Medal, a recognition reserved for those whose service and impact transcend individual assignments and shape the very fabric of the Engineer Regiment.

South Atlantic Division command team tours Caribbean District

Lynda Yezzi — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 22:04:00 GMT

The Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District welcomed senior leaders from the South Atlantic Division for a multi-day site visit across Puerto Rico from September 2- 6, 2025. Brig. Gen. Zachary L. Miller, Command Sgt. Major Derrick Braud, and Ms. Stephanie Hall began their visit with a district overview and town hall at the Caribbean District’s San Juan headquarters, setting the stage for a series of field inspections at key civil works sites that highlight the district’s expansive mission and ongoing progress.

Corps of Engineers: Navigating Puerto Rico's Maritime Future

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 17:14:00 GMT

Every safe arrival and departure from the numerous harbors in Puerto Rico is made possible by a team of professionals working quietly but relentlessly to ensure Federal navigation channels are open, secure, and ready for whatever comes next. To ensure the continued safety of these harbors, in July 2025, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District Operations Branch – in partnership with the Charleston District – carried out hydrographic surveys at the Harbors of Ponce, Mayagüez, and Arecibo. These surveys were not just routine; they were a vital part of the Corps’ mission to maintain safe navigation and interstate commerce across the region.

USACE Caribbean District Prepares for Hurricane Erin

Pentagon News — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 17:06:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. -- As Tropical Storm Erin gains strength and approaches the Caribbean, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Caribbean District is actively preparing to support communities and safeguard infrastructure across Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other areas under its jurisdiction.

Corps of Engineers brings the ‘flood fight’ to Erin in Puerto Rico and the U.S.V.I.

Lynda Yezzi, CCO, USACE Caribbean District — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 16:52:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- As Hurricane Erin intensifies to Category 5 strength, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stands ready to bring the “flood fight” to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Congressman Michael Collins tours Army Corps projects in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Lynda Yezzi — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:54:00 GMT

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – The Honorable Michael Collins (R-GA) recently concluded a three-day tour of Army Corps of Engineers projects across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, gaining firsthand insight into the initiatives spearheaded by the Corps’ newest district—the Caribbean District.

Caribbean District Prepares for Hurricane Season with TTX

Lynda Yezzi, Public Affairs, USACE Caribbean District — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:50:00 GMT

To prepare for this year’s potential onslaught of storms, the Caribbean District held a Hurricane Tabletop Training Exercise (TTX) on June 11, 2025, at Fort Buchanan. In attendance were district leaders, program managers and members of the Emergency Operations Management team. Also in attendance were leaders from across the Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division providing technical support.

Over a Century of Engineering Excellence: The history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean

Jennifer Garcia — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:48:00 GMT

The history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) represents a pillar in the development of our nation, with its impact extending far beyond the mainland United States.