Lajes Field: An Atlantic Airfield on Terceira Island
Lajes Field is on Terceira Island in Portugal’s Azores, where the Atlantic separates a military assignment from both the continental United States and mainland Europe. The 65th Air Base Group supports the U.S. mission at Lajes in cooperation with the Portuguese Air Force. Airfield support, fuel, and logistics are central to the installation’s role in moving aircraft and people across the ocean.
An investigation there can involve a small local community, a service member’s parent command, and evidence located in another country. It may concern conduct during travel, a product bought before arrival, or an allegation made by someone who has already left the island. Bilecki Law Group represents service members facing military investigations and court martial proceedings connected to Lajes. We identify the evidence that matters and begin the defense without waiting for geography to become an excuse for delay.
The Captain Who Brought an Airliner to Lajes Without Engine Power
On 24 August 2001, Air Transat Flight 236 lost both engines after a fuel leak and fuel exhaustion over the Atlantic. Capt. Robert Piché and his crew brought the Airbus A330 to Lajes in an emergency glide and landing. Piché’s connection to the airfield is that landing; he was a civilian airline captain, not a member of the U.S. force stationed there.
The successful landing did not make the circumstances simple. The FAA’s account describes a maintenance problem, the crew’s handling of the developing fuel emergency, and assistance from Lajes controllers. People were injured during the evacuation. The full record includes both the extraordinary landing and the errors that preceded it.
That is a useful lesson in looking past a headline. A serious event deserves a complete account of what happened, who did what, and which decisions mattered. We bring that discipline to a defense, including when the record contains facts that are difficult for our client.
Why Service Members at Lajes Bring Us In
A case can change significantly before anyone signs a charge sheet. The government may be deciding whether a laboratory result supports prosecution, whether a witness account can be corroborated, or whether an administrative action is appropriate. Defense counsel can investigate those questions while the decision is still open.
We examine the underlying documents, identify missing evidence, and consider whether a supported submission could resolve or narrow the allegation. We also prepare for litigation when a favorable early resolution is unavailable. The choice is driven by the facts and the client’s interests, not a promise that every investigation can be stopped with a letter.
An overseas assignment does not eliminate your access to defense counsel. Military defense counsel serves an independent role, and civilian counsel can ordinarily work alongside detailed counsel at a general or special court martial. Your service’s procedures and any Special Trial Counsel authority must also be identified. A Navy member serving on an Air Force supported installation does not become an Airman for military justice purposes.
UCMJ Charges We Defend at Lajes Field
We defend the full range of UCMJ allegations, including the following.
Drug Use and Possession (UCMJ Article 112a). A drug allegation requires more than a discussion of what a product was called at the store. We review the specimen and testing records, the substance allegedly involved, and the evidence supporting or challenging knowing and wrongful use. A supported product history can matter, but it must be assessed with the science and the applicable military rules.
Orders and Prohibited Products (UCMJ Article 92). A product can be legally sold to civilians and still be prohibited for service members. Hemp, CBD, and delta-8 products require particular care under service policies. An Article 92 allegation and an Article 112a allegation have different elements; counsel should identify the actual prohibition and the theory the government intends to pursue.
Sexual Assault (UCMJ Article 120). We examine the account, the legal theory charged, and evidence from before and after the alleged event. When a witness has left the island, records and interviews may require coordination across locations. Distance makes early preservation more important; it does not excuse reliance on a partial message exchange or an untested summary.
Assault and Domestic Violence (UCMJ Articles 128 and 128b). An incident can lead to a military investigation and questions involving Portuguese authorities. We evaluate the military allegation, the evidence, and any restrictions affecting the member. If a Portuguese legal matter is involved, its separate requirements and the need for qualified local counsel must be addressed rather than assumed away.
False Official Statements and Property Allegations (UCMJ Articles 107 and 121). A travel claim, a missing item, or an answer in an official inquiry may become the basis for a criminal theory. We reconstruct the transaction and examine what the member knew and intended. An accounting discrepancy or a conflicting recollection does not establish every element of the suspected offense.
A Career and a Reputation Worth Defending
Being far from home can make a legal problem feel harder to manage, especially when the next decision concerns an interview or a response due in a few days. We begin with what is pending and explain what information we need to advise you. You should understand the allegation and the available choices before providing a statement or accepting a proposed disposition.
A supported defense can give the government a reason to reconsider the path it is taking. That may mean challenging the evidence of an offense, developing information the investigation missed, or presenting a credible alternative to prosecution. We do the work needed to make that argument while preparing for the possibility that the case must be fought in court.
Contact Bilecki Law Group for a free case evaluation if you are facing an investigation or court martial connected to Lajes. Send the notice and preserve the relevant messages, product information, and other records so we can identify the immediate work.
A Lajes Matter We Defended
No Charges, No Captain’s Mast, and No Administrative Separation. A Navy petty officer first class at Lajes faced a drug investigation after a positive test. Tim Bilecki developed the product history and addressed the testing evidence before charges were preferred. The defense put that material before the authority deciding the case, and the investigation closed without charges, Captain’s Mast, or administrative separation. The Sailor avoided a criminal prosecution, nonjudicial punishment, and administrative separation. That is why a drug defense should begin with the evidence while the government is still deciding what to do. Read how we resolved the Lajes drug investigation.
FAQ
Does an overseas assignment change whether the UCMJ applies to me?
The UCMJ applies worldwide to persons subject to it. Being in Portugal does not remove military jurisdiction over an active duty service member. A particular incident may also raise questions under Portuguese law and the agreements governing U.S. forces. Those questions need a separate assessment; an overseas posting does not create immunity from local law.
A product was sold legally in the United States. Does that protect me from a military drug allegation?
Not by itself. Civilian legality, military product prohibitions, and the elements of a charged drug offense are separate questions. Preserve the packaging, receipts, product information, and any remaining product for counsel to evaluate lawfully. Do not assume that a hemp or CBD label proves either that the product was allowed or what the laboratory should find.
Can you defend a Sailor at Lajes even if Air Force investigators are involved?
Yes. The defense must identify the investigative arrangements, the member’s Navy command, and the authority responsible for deciding the case. We review the actual documents and coordinate the defense accordingly. The Lajes matter above involved a Navy member at a location supported by the Air Force, which is why the service and command relationships need to be examined rather than guessed from the installation’s name.