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… 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