Fort Buchanan's new commander emphasizes trust, teamwork during first town hall
FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Just hours after assuming command Oct. 27, Col. David L. Brewer met with the Fort Buchanan workforce at the installation's Community Club to introduce himself, outline his leadership philosophy and establish expectations centered on transparency, collaboration and mutual respect.
The town hall provided Brewer his first opportunity to engage directly with Team Buchanan as commander, emphasizing open communication, employee empowerment and shared responsibility for supporting military readiness.
Brewer began by sharing his military background, family life and personal interests, offering employees an opportunity to know the person behind the uniform.
Drawing on 26 years of military experience, Brewer emphasized that effective leadership requires trusting the expertise of the soldiers and Army civilians responsible for delivering essential installation services.
"I will not be a subject matter expert in everything you're doing. I will lean on you to be that subject matter expert," Brewer said.
He reinforced his commitment to empowering directorates while maintaining responsibility for leadership and decision-making.
"I will provide leadership. I will provide guidance. I will try to make sound decisions. But I am going to leverage the leadership that you bring," he said.
Addressing transparency, Brewer acknowledged that limited resources require difficult decisions and clear communication with stakeholders.
"We have to determine what matters and do what I call intelligent prioritization," Brewer said.
He encouraged employees to seek solutions rather than default to rejecting requests, emphasizing a customer-focused approach that balances mission requirements with available resources.
Brewer also highlighted Fort Buchanan's strategic importance in supporting the readiness of the Army Reserve, Puerto Rico National Guard and other military components throughout Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
He challenged employees to consider how their decisions today will shape the installation's ability to support future generations of warfighters.
Beyond operational priorities, Brewer identified mutual respect as a nonnegotiable leadership expectation.
"I will not tolerate disrespecting someone because of who they are," he said.
Recognizing Puerto Rico's unique history and culture, Brewer expressed his desire to learn from the workforce and strengthen relationships with surrounding communities. He also emphasized environmental stewardship and the shared responsibility of preparing for challenges associated with operating on an island.
Concluding his remarks, Brewer offered a simple principle that reflects his personal leadership philosophy.
"Kindness is free," he said, encouraging employees to demonstrate empathy and consideration in their daily interactions.
Through his first town hall, Brewer established a leadership approach grounded in trust, accountability and collaboration, reinforcing that Fort Buchanan's ability to sustain military readiness depends on the collective expertise, professionalism and commitment of its workforce.
With an annual budget exceeding $500 million, Fort Buchanan supports about 15,000 active-duty personnel, Soldiers of the Army Reserve and Puerto Rico National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve members and Navy Reserve personnel, providing infrastructure and services that enable forces to train, mobilize and deploy worldwide.
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