Puerto Rican Operating Area
Encyclopedia
The Puerto Rican Operating Area, often inaccurately called the "Roosevelt Roads Operating Area"
, was centered on the Virgin Pass and Vieques. Because of Puerto Rican
protests, it is now closed.
Vieques Island was the site of the former Vieques Naval Training Range which was primarily used to train surface combatants for Naval Surface Fire Support. This training consisted of shooting live rounds at specified targets inside the range, 9 to 13 miles from the nearest populated area.
Prompted by the accidental death of a civilian guard (David Sanes
) inside the range, the people of Puerto Rico began a movement to close it. Environmental and health issues fueled the opposition of the people against keeping the range open. A nearby civilian area allegedly was adversely affected by the military operations. The opposition was mainly peaceful, relying on civil disobedience and massive protests. Nevertheless, some violent incidents did occur. A controversy arose because independentist and nationalist movements used the process to promote independence for Puerto Rico. However, with the protest
s and subsequent closing of the range, there was no longer any reason for Navy
and Marine Corps
forces to deploy to the Caribbean
, and the closing of Vieques' support base, U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, occurred on March 31, 2004. As a consequence, the U.S. Navy's more than $300 million in yearly economic impact, and thousands of military, federal and contractor jobs were lost on both Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands
.
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States military air base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site is run today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.-History:...
, was centered on the Virgin Pass and Vieques. Because of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
protests, it is now closed.
Vieques Island was the site of the former Vieques Naval Training Range which was primarily used to train surface combatants for Naval Surface Fire Support. This training consisted of shooting live rounds at specified targets inside the range, 9 to 13 miles from the nearest populated area.
Prompted by the accidental death of a civilian guard (David Sanes
David Sanes
David Sanes Rodríguez was a native of Vieques, Puerto Rico whose death became a rallying point for those opposed to the U.S. military presence on and use of his home island for live-fire bombing practice...
) inside the range, the people of Puerto Rico began a movement to close it. Environmental and health issues fueled the opposition of the people against keeping the range open. A nearby civilian area allegedly was adversely affected by the military operations. The opposition was mainly peaceful, relying on civil disobedience and massive protests. Nevertheless, some violent incidents did occur. A controversy arose because independentist and nationalist movements used the process to promote independence for Puerto Rico. However, with the protest
Protest
A protest is an expression of objection, by words or by actions, to particular events, policies or situations. Protests can take many different forms, from individual statements to mass demonstrations...
s and subsequent closing of the range, there was no longer any reason for Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
forces to deploy to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, and the closing of Vieques' support base, U.S. Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, occurred on March 31, 2004. As a consequence, the U.S. Navy's more than $300 million in yearly economic impact, and thousands of military, federal and contractor jobs were lost on both Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
.
See also
- Roosevelt Roads Naval StationRoosevelt Roads Naval StationRoosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States military air base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site is run today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.-History:...
- Cause for Vieques
- Navy-Vieques protests