U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján meets recently with U.S. Space Command at Kirkland AFB. Courtesy photo

U.S. Sen Ben Ray Luján meets with senior officials at Kirkland Air Force Base. Courtesy photo 

From the Office of U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján:

NAMBÉ — During a recent tour of Kirkland Air Force Base, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M) met with General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations for United States Space Force, Major General James Sears, Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, and other senior officials to discuss the key role that New Mexico plays in Space Force’s mission.

Sen. Luján also received briefings on the contributions of Kirkland’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) to growing Space Force’s capabilities and spurring economic development in the region.

“Kirkland Air Force Base has proven itself an asset to the mission of U.S. Space Force. The work happening in New Mexico helps provide crucial information for America’s military, identify national security threats, and support our allies across the globe. It also produces discoveries that will give American businesses and research institutions a competitive edge, and it provides a test lab for New Mexico students and researchers,” Luján said. “I was honored to meet with General Raymond and Major General Sears, and I will continue working in the Senate to support the opportunities that Space Force brings to New Mexico.”

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján. Courtesy Photo