Azores get key support from MTMC detachment.

For islands perched in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the regular maritime resupply is a physical link with the outside world.

The Azores are considered the crossroads of the Atlantic. The nine islands lie in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. To the east, it is about 850 miles to Lisbon, Portugal. Going west, it is about 2,200 miles to New York City.

Every four weeks, the MV Strong Patriot comes to Praia de Vittoria, Azores, after a run from Newport News, Va.

The usual cargoes are rather mundane.

We are tasked with delivering the supplies required to support Lajes Air Field, a modern U.S. Air Force Base. This amounts to about 60 containers per voyage. The containers carry a varied cargo, which ranges from frozen pizzas to a liquid oxygen generating plant.

Each of these containers must be cleared through the customs and agricultural offices and delivered to the base.

A recent trip saw the delivery of 26 light poles. The word "light," however, was actually a contradiction, as each of the poles was made of cement and weighed 18,000 pounds. Their length was 65 feet and the length of the cargo hold was 61 feet, significantly adding to the challenge of the discharge.

Our biggest lift in recent years was a load of construction equipment used to assist in the demolition of an old oil storage tank in the Cabrito complex. The construction equipment occupied much of the deck and cargo-hold space on the ship. We worked fast on the discharge in order to support the short timeline available for the National Guard engineers who performed the demolition work.

The majority of our maritime lift comes from the Strong Patriot, owned by Van Ommeren. The ship has been on the Azores for about a year, and is about 300 feet in length and 55 feet at the beam. It is a geared container ship, capable of carrying 276 20-foot container-equivalent units.

Supplementing this supply channel is military cargo aircraft and commercial ocean transportation. The latter, originating from Lisbon, amounts to about 15 to 20 percent of the volume carded on the Strong Patriot.

Our biggest challenge is one we face on a routine basis. This is an island, with an unusual weather situation. The winds here are extraordinary: gusts up to 135 mph have often been recorded. Trying to lift and spot containers in the wind is an effort that must be seen to be appreciated. The broad side of a container will catch wind, causing it to spin rapidly.

To that challenge: Add rain.

The pace of life on Terceira Island, the home of the MTMC Detachment, varies dramatically. The commute to work is regularly slowed when cows are herded on the roads.

MTMC has responsibility for the normal loading and discharging of the ships, as well as the cargo documentation. MTMC also arranges for the inland transportation. We operate the largest trucking company and chassis pool on the island. We also operate a vehicle-processing center.

Formerly a MTMC company, the Azores Detachment was formed June 8, 2000, and is composed of five Portuguese workers; Sgt. 1st Class Jorge Vazquez, NCOIC; and myself. The Air Force supplies seven employees for port operations.

The detachment is a part of the 839th Transportation Battalion, Livorno, Italy.

In the past, MTMC operated its own fleet of watercraft. Cargo was unloaded from supply ships by lighters and brought to the MTMC terminal. This heavy labor force was no longer needed when MTMC moved to the commercial terminal. MTMC port strength has dropped from 143 people in 1991 to the present 14--with virtually no change in total cargo volume.

Lajes Field has long served as a refueling stop and emergency station for trans-Atlantic aircraft. A recent week saw two commercial flights stop at the base due to medical emergencies. Both passengers received emergency care at the hospital on the island.

Aircraft refueling remains a large part of the mission of the base. Today, most aircraft are refueled in the air at 35,000 feet. The airfield is home base for the refueling tankers; commercial aircraft used the same airstrip, but a different terminal.

The base has a staff of about 4,000--equally split between American service members and Portuguese nationals.

The Army-Air Force Exchange Service outlets get a lot of customers. They are open to all Portuguese workers and retirees. Transient aircrews and passengers provide more customers.

The high sales volume from these customers results in a heavy demand for goods--shipped via MTMC traffic management.