US Army to invest $62M in Puerto Rico in upcoming years

By

The Associated Press

U.S. Army Reserve soldiers depart Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, early morning to deliver food to Rafael Lull Coliseum in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico, Oct. 6, 2017. (Sgt. Edgar Valdez/Army Reserve)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The U.S. Army says it will invest some $62 million in Puerto Rico to renovate and expand its infrastructure in the U.S. territory.

Officials said late Monday they will invest $10 million to build an operations center in the northwest coastal town of Aguadilla starting early next year.

Brig. Gen. Dustin Shultz said that another $52 million will go toward building a training facility and new offices in Fort Buchanan near the capital of San Juan. Construction is expected to start in late 2019.

Officials said the U.S. Army invests around $285 million a year in Puerto Rico and has roughly 5,000 soldiers and 200 civil employees assigned.