The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Boleiro, welcomed the Commander of the 65th Air Base Group, Colonel Carina Harrison, in a meet and greet session in São Miguel.
The president took advantage of the meeting to reiterate the “importance” of the Azores in the alliance between Portugal and the United States of America and the strategic importance of the Lajes Base on Terceira Island.
José Manuel Bolieiro asked the Commander to inform the American administration of the “importance of a massive and preferably growing American presence at the base” in Terceira.
“We can’t do without the geostrategic recognition that the Azores represent for this alliance,” said José Manuel Bolieiro.
The 65th Air Base Group consists of four squadrons that support combatant commanders worldwide. Its more than 1,200 men and women are located at two installations: Campo das Lajes, Portugal, and Morón Air Base, Spain.
The group provides power projection platforms for US and allied air operations while maintaining combat support and global command and control capabilities.

From press release

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.