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U.S. and Portuguese Air Force security forces members work together to coordinate a military working dog event for the Lajes 2012 Open House. The 65th Air Base Wing political affairs office is a vital link to our Portuguese counterparts. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Chenzira Mallory)
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Political Affairs: Your liaison to our Portuguese counterparts
Posted 8/31/2012 Updated 8/31/2012
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by Staff Sgt. Erica Horner
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
8/31/2012 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- Despite what you may have heard, the 65th Air Base Wing is actually a tenant unit on Portuguese Air Base 4.
One Wing Staff Agency, Political Affairs or POLAD, helps the entire 65th ABW understand our unique relationship with our Portuguese counterparts.
"This is a Portuguese Air Force installation, not a United States Air Force base," said Lt. Col. Shawn Cotton, the 65th Operations Support Squadron commander, as well as the Chief of Political Affairs. "So being tenants here, we have hosts with whom we need to coordinate, communicate and cooperate."
The POLAD office, also manned by Capt. Rui Amaral, Sra. Celina Cristovao and Tech. Sgt. Ualter Freitas, is located in the wing headquarters building, and like other wing staff agencies, executes a highly specialized mission.
The POLAD office plays a vital role in conducting operations with our Portuguese counterparts, both on and off the installation.
"Any correspondence or coordination between the USAF and the Portuguese Air Force has to go through this office," said Cotton. "We are the switchboard."
The POLAD office handles an average of 2,300 documents per year that are routed between the Portuguese Air Force and the 65th ABW. Those documents range in purpose from notice of off base traffic infractions to facilitating approval of construction projects for the Civil Engineer Squadron.
Unlike some overseas bases, Lajes Field does not have a Status of Forces Agreement. Instead, American and Portuguese cooperation is governed by several documents, to include the Technical Agreement.
The POLAD office works with incoming commanders to brief them on the unique working relationship between the 65th ABW and our Portuguese counterparts and how to sustain host nation relations, said Cotton.
"We discuss the agreements that we have here, to include the Technical Agreement, and we talk about the role of the POLAD office and why we are here," said Cotton of POLAD's relationship with commanders. "We want to make their jobs easier and help the wing operate more efficiently."
There are some linkages already established and those operations can continue without further coordination through POLAD, said Cotton. Some examples of American and Portuguese coordination include highly functional relationships in some organizations throughout the base.
"Security forces, air traffic control and the weather shop presently operate jointly with the Portuguese Air Force. If there is a change in operating procedures, or they go outside the lines that are already established, then they would have to coordinate with our hosts through this office," said Cotton.
The bottom line for POLAD is to support 65th ABW leaders and to facilitate interaction with our Portuguese hosts.
"We're not the ones who make the decisions; we just coordinate and get the right people involved," Cotton said.
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