President of the Government received new Operational Commander of the Azores - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, received today the new Operational Commander of the Azores, Lieutenant General Pedro Miguel Alves Gonçalves Soares, reiterating his intention to maintain "good cooperation" with the three branches of the Armed Forces.

"The mission undertaken by the Armed Forces on all our islands in all their areas of intervention is important," he emphasised, speaking at the Sant'Ana Palace in Ponta Delgada.

Recalling several recent actions in areas such as health or the supply of populations, José Manuel Bolieiro defended greater "public awareness" of the "strategic importance" of the Armed Forces.

The Azores Operational Command (COA) is a joint operational command and supervisory body. It has as its mission the planning, joint operational training and operational deployment of the forces and resources of the operational component of the forces system assigned to and based in the Autonomous Region of the Azores or others assigned to it.

It liaises directly with the Joint Command for Military Operations (CCOM) for the respective activation or assignment.

Without detriment to the command and control procedures to be defined by the Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces (CEMGFA) for conducting military operations, the COA, in the pursuit of its mission and competences, has the authority to coordinate its relations with the maritime, military and air commands in the Azores.

Lieutenant General Pedro Miguel Alves Gonçalves Soares is 59 and has served for 41 years.

His service record includes 12 commendations, four of which were awarded by the Chief of General Staff of the Portuguese Armed Forces, three by the Chief of Staff of the Army, four by other general officers and one by other military organisations.

He is the recipient of 24 decorations, including six Silver Medals for Distinguished Services, Military Medals of Merit - 1st and 2nd class, the D. Afonso Henriques Medals - Army Merit - 1st and 2nd class, and the Gold and Silver Medals for Exemplary Behaviour.