If Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of US, is that mean it has military support from US like Australia being a?

Question

commonwealth of UK

and it is a country being a US commonwealth more than a territory

Answer 1

The US obtained Puerto Rico from the Spanish at the close of the Spanish American war. There are MANY Puerto Ricans who have served in our countries armed forces and if you are born on the island, you are a citizen of the US.

The island and it's people are somewhat divided on whether it should become a state and reap more representation in Congress, or go the other route and become an independent country.

There are also vast economic questions involved with this question. Very few like the status quo and either want to become a state or want to be independent.

Answer 2

Puerto Rico, I think, is actually a US possession. They receive all federal aid and benefits as a state would, but they pay no federal tax to the US. Any taxes they pay are to Puerto RIco. They have US Army reserve units in Puerto Rico and they can serve in the US armed forces as a US citizen. If they retire from the Armed forces with 20 years of service they receive full retirement benefits from the government but again pay no federal taxes to the US. The receive WIC and food stamps and section 8 housing assistance and yet pay nothing to the federal government. It has been voted on many times to become a state and the people have never passed that measure. Why should they. They have it made.

Answer 3

Puerto Rico has military protection from the US. Puerto Rico is not a country of itself, it is not a state of the US but just a territory. So they get to pay US taxes but don't get to have a seat on the Board of Governors and have less of a say in Congress. It's racial.

Answer 4

yes, and since it had a gunnery range for ships, there was always a battle group right there to defend Puerto Rico.