Puerto Rico


Barely back from Barbados, preparations began for the larger annual exercise of the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, which also includes the 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion. This year, Puerto Rico was chosen as the exercise location for the brigade.


Puerto Rico is located about 1,000 miles southeast of Miami in the Caribbean Sea between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a self-governed archipelago of more than 140 islands, islets and keys organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States.


Due to 70


its location and status, the island is popular with criminals for smuggling drugs from South American countries


Nov/Dec 2024


such as Venezuela and Colombia to the U.S. mainland. Its proximity to the Dominican Republic and Haiti also attracts crime. Human traffickers regularly attempt to bring refugees from these countries to Puerto Rico.


Puerto Rico is known for its often unpredictable and turbulent weather, too. From the beginning of June through November, the Caribbean is in hurricane season.


In recent history, Puerto Rico has been hit hard. For example, in September 2017 hurricanes Irma and Maria caused devastating damage. Hurricane Maria was the fiercest storm to hit the archipelago since 1928. Winds speeds of up to 155 miles per hour combined with rainfall totaling at least 15 inches in two days caused massive flooding and wind damage to most PR homes and roads while killing approximately 3.000 people.


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