Military of Puerto Rico

On January 12, 1981, a group called the Boricua Popular Army, better known as Los Macheteros, claimed responsibility for blowing up six A-7 Corsair II aircraft at the Muñiz Air National Guard Base; a Puerto Rico Air National Guard base at a loss of $40 million.

[1] Responsibility for the air defense of Puerto Rico now rests with USAF or US Navy fighters that would be flown in case of a military emergency.

[3] The former U.S. Navy facilities at Roosevelt Roads, Vieques, and Sabana Seca have been deactivated and partially turned over to the local government.

In recent years, the U.S. Congress has considered their deactivations, but these have been opposed by diverse public and private entities in Puerto Rico - such as retired military who rely on Ft. Buchanan for the services available there.

On a continual basis, Coast Guard fixed-wing airplanes, such as the C-130 Hercules search-and-rescue plane, stationed primarily in Florida fly to Puerto Rico to support these missions.

U.S. Coast Guard cutters visit Puerto Rican waters periodically in their missions of coastal patrol and search-and-rescue.

On "La Puntilla" in Old San Juan the Coast Guard base its small, but capable surface fleet of several 110-foot (34 m) long cutters and other patrol boats.

[6] At the summit, the director of the LULAC National Educational Service Center (LNESC), Richard Royball commented, "Based on our mutually beneficial partnership, we would encourage other Hispanic organizations to ally themselves with the US Army.

On top of training exercises, the US used Puerto Rico as a base to rehearse and launch military operations in Latin America and throughout the world.

Near Aguada the United States Marine Corps operates an LF-transmitter with a 367.3 meters tall guyed mast, the tallest man-made object in the Caribbean area [1][usurped].