FORT BUCHANAN, Puerto Rico — Elements of the 35th Expeditionary Signal Battalion – Enhanced (ESB-E) are on their way to the U.S. Virgin Islands after the activation of the emergency operations center at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico in response to then-Tropical Storm Ernesto’s pending arrival to the U.S. territories and Puerto Rican islands.
During natural disasters, maintaining clear lines of communication is critical, especially for government agencies working tirelessly to support communities in need. The 35th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced is the backbone of these efforts, keeping lines of communication open to allow for coordinated, effective disaster relief, this time due to Ernesto.
The 35th ESB-E Soldiers are sending Soldiers who are already on orders fresh off of Caribbean Thunder 2024 exercise with expertise in specialized communications equipment to the U.S. Virgin Islands as part of their rapid response efforts. These highly trained Soldiers, equipped with the best communications technology available to combat forces, known as the Scalable Network Node, or SNN, are establishing secure and robust communication links for local and federal agencies during and after the storm.
Operating from four strategically located companies across Puerto Rico — the Headquarters Company in Juana Díaz, Alpha Company in Yauco, Bravo Company in Aguadilla and Charlie Company in Puerto Nuevo — the 35th ESB-E ensures vital communication support not only within Puerto Rico but also across the Caribbean during emergencies and worldwide when called upon.
During Caribbean Thunder 2024, held between July and August, the battalion’s Soldiers increased their proficiency with the SNN as part of their annual training, underscoring their commitment to always being mission ready. The SNN guarantees that all units involved in operations can communicate efficiently within a secure network, thereby enhancing mission success and operational safety.
On August 7, 2024, the 1st Mission Support Command made history when the 35th ESB-E successfully established secure communications from multiple points across the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic, demonstrating their swift response capability in the event of a regional emergency. This milestone was significant for the 1st MSC, showcasing their ability to deploy not only the 35th ESB-E but also medical, engineering, military police and civil affairs units across the Caribbean.
Following the impressive performance of the 35th ESB-E during Caribbean Thunder 2024, the battalion is now transitioning from training to real-world operations as they return to the U.S. Virgin Islands in response to the threat posed by Ernesto. Several teams have been dispatched to establish critical communication networks in case of outages.
“My team and I are prepared to establish effective communication to support local agencies working closely with the community in need,” said Spc. Justin Schissler, team leader of one of the nodes deployed by Bravo Company for the mission. “Our familiarity with the equipment and the cohesion we've built as a team over the past month gives me confidence that we will exceed expectations on this mission.”
Soldiers of the 1st MSC, known as the Garita Warriors, stand ready to support the Caribbean whenever called upon. These Soldiers are exceptionally skilled, highly motivated and capable of accomplishing missions not just in the Caribbean but worldwide.
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