National Guard State Partnership Program: East Africa

This year, the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program expanded to include a partnership between the Djiboutian Armed Forces and the Kentucky National Guard, and one between the Massachusetts National Guard and Kenya Defence Forces.

By Sgt. Darron Salzer , National Guard Bureau Washington, DC Oct 23, 2015

View Gallery

Gallery contains 3 images

Photo 1 of 3

United States Africa Command Image

Kenya and Djibouti represent the first East Africa nations to join the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program.

Download image

Photo by: National Guard Bureau

Photo 2 of 3

United States Africa Command Image

Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, the adjutant general, Massachusetts National Guard, and Kiritu Miano Wamae, acting principal secretary, Kenya Ministry of Defence, sign the state partnership agreement between the Republic of Kenya and the Massachusetts National Guard during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Defence here, Oct. 1, 2015. (U.S. Amy National Guard Photo by 1st Sgt. Don Veitch/Released)

Download image

Photo by: 1st Sgt. Donald Veitch

Photo 3 of 3

United States Africa Command Image

Maj. Gen. Zakaria Cheik Ibrahim, (left), Djiboutian Armed Forces (FAD) chief of defense and Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, Kentucky National Guard (KNG) adjutant general, sign a State Partnership Program agreement at the Kempinski Hotel, Djibouti, June 2, 2015. The agreement means a long term cooperative agreement between the KNG and FAD that will foster mutually beneficial exchanges between the two at all levels of the military as well as the civilian world. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet)

Download image

Photo by: Staff Sgt. Nathan Maysonet

ARLINGTON, Va. – This year, the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program expanded to include a partnership between the Djiboutian Armed Forces and the Kentucky National Guard, and one between the Massachusetts National Guard and Kenya Defence Forces.

These two new partnerships are a continuation of the program's goals, said Guard officials familiar with the program.

"The goal of the program is to foster enduring relationships beyond military-to-military, beyond military-to civilian, and encourage civilian-to-civilian engagements, as well as foster opportunities for our National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to remain operationally ready through opportunities to exchange best practices," said Army Lt. Col. Shaun Mistlebauer, branch chief of the Atlantic Branch, State Partnership Program and International Engagements Division, at the NGB.

The partnerships with Kenya and Djibouti also support the objectives of the combatant command in that area, Mistlebauer said.

The NGB's State Partnership Program began in 1993 with National Guard elements from three U.S. states pairing with newly independent, former Soviet republics. Since then it has grown significantly, now with 76 partnerships around the world.

Djibouti and Kentucky

On June 2, representatives from the Kentucky National Guard and the Djiboutian Armed Forces formalized their state partnership agreement during a signing ceremony at the Kempinski Hotel in Djibouti City.

It was a first for East Africa.

"Ten African countries already benefit from this program and we are honored to be the eleventh African country and the first to benefit from East Africa," said Djiboutian Maj. Gen. Zakaria Cheik Ibrahim, Djiboutian Armed Forces chief of defense, during the ceremony. "This follows from the new partnership that our two countries are committed to. Since the meeting between our two heads of state in May 2014, the cooperation between our two countries has strengthened positively and we are very optimistic to see, in the coming years, a considerable expansion of our defense and security cooperation."

The partnership with the Kentucky National Guard is designed to enhance the development of Djibouti's disaster response and consequence management, port and border security capabilities and interagency cooperation.

"The SPP links a unique component of the Department of Defense with the armed forces of a partner country in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship by means of a tailored, small footprint, high-impact security cooperation engagement that fosters long-term enduring relationships with allies around the world," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward Tonini, Kentucky National Guard adjutant general, during the ceremony. "Having a partnership with Djibouti allows us the opportunity to engage in mutually beneficial exchanges at all levels of the military as well as the civilian world."

Zakaria agreed.

"Your presence among us today demonstrates the importance accorded by the U.S. to the strengthening of the cooperation between the U.S. military and the Djiboutian Defense and Security Forces as well as our two friendly peoples," said Zakaria. "I am convinced that we could mutually benefit from this partnership, which will consolidate our operational capabilities in multiple areas. Long-Live the Djibouti-American Cooperation."

Kenya and Massachusetts

During a ceremony at the Kenya Ministry of Defence in Nairobi, Kenya, Oct. 1, the Massachusetts National Guard confirmed their state partnership agreement with the Kenyan Defence Forces.

The signing ceremony officially made the partnership the 76th for the NGB’s 22-year-old program.

"This gathering underscores the strong ties of friendship and mutual interests between the Republic of Kenya and the Unites States," said Kenyan cabinet secretary of defence Raychelle Omamo. "It is my sincere hope that this agreement will solidify our partnership and serve our collective vision of peace and security in Kenya and our region."

Similar to Kentucky, support for the partnership with the Massachusetts National Guard and Kenya came from the Massachusetts governor's office, as well as local academia and civic organizations with established Kenyan relationships.

"We couldn't be more proud to be partnering with the Republic of Kenya," said Air Force Maj. Gen. L. Scott Rice, Massachusetts National Guard adjutant general. "Our service members will provide mutual benefits to this strategic partnership with the Republic of Kenya. We are excited to exchange ideas and share knowledge to foster an enduring partnership."

Global Security

According to Guard officials, U.S. Department of State foreign policy goals guide the State Partnership Program in support of the combatant commanders’ objectives in the area of responsibility.

"National Guard states have been building enduring relationships for more than 20 years through the State Partnership Program," said Army Gen. Frank J. Grass, chief of the National Guard Bureau. "This partnership establishes Kenya as the National Guard’s 76th partner nation and greatly enhances combatant commanders’ global security objectives."

The partnerships with Kenya and Djibouti could provide several advantages for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, CJTF-HOA, which is headquartered at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

In his remarks June 2, Tonini said Djibouti has already become a key regional partner with the U.S. in humanitarian and counter-terrorism operations throughout East Africa. Djiboutian Armed Forces have well-established relationships with personnel assigned to the Task Force, which includes Kentucky Guard members, who are a force multiplier to the region.

A key advantage for CJTF-HOA is the unique skillsets and capabilities that Guard members bring to these two partnerships.

"The National Guard brings civilian skillsets that other Service members cannot," explained Mistlebauer. "Many of our Airmen and Soldiers [have civilian skillsets] that the active components do not have, to include homeland response, defense support of civilian authorities, and the capability to integrate with civilian law enforcement."

It is this blend of civilian and military skills that provides partner nations with highly capable partners, which fosters enduring friendships.

"Through assurances of that friendship, they feel that they have someone who will back them when needed, not just in sharing knowledge and experiences but also in the event of a regional crisis," Mistlebauer said.

For the future, the SPP is on track to continue to evolve to meet global security objectives and national security goals, while maintaining relationships with some of the staunchest allies and partners of the U.S. around the world, said Guard officials.

"When I think about the way ahead for the State Partnership Program, I think about a lot more open dialogue between the nations," Mistlebauer said.

U.S. Forces conduct strike against al Shabaab

Federal Government of Somalia engages ISIS-Somalia with support from U.S. Forces

U.S. Forces Conduct Strike Targeting al Shabaab

Africa Endeavor

U.S. Forces conduct strike against ISIS-Somalia

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

NAIROBI, Kenya – Among the flurry of tactical live fires and squad movement drills, air ground integration and even the humanitarian initiatives at exercise Justified Accord 2025 (JA25), lies the one thing those who serve in any armed force must follow: The Law. The Law of Armed Conflict, or LOAC, is a key aspect of training for any military. JA25’s academics course aimed at learning from the international legal lessons of previous wars in an effort to reduce the amount of human suffering in future conflicts. “The soldier’s rules are a broad set of rules that we have pulled from the large breadth of international law,” said U.S. Army Maj. Tim Olliges, an operational law attorney assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF), the lead U.S. Army command and planner of JA25. “The LOAC is extensive and can be complex, so we pull out the ten most critical concepts that every soldier, right down to the private, should know before they go into combat.”

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

NAIROBI, Kenya – Imagine two scenarios. Scenario 1: Dawn breaks over the capital of Kenya. A U.S. diplomat leaves his residence for the embassy. After a 20-minute ride, his car arrives at the gate and he enters. He sits in his office to begin the day when, all of a sudden, he hears an explosion through the open window. It seems far off; it is not a large explosion. He thinks maybe it was just a car accident, but minutes later he smells something bitter in the air. His eyes water, sirens blare and a U.S. Marine Corps security detail enters his office wearing gas masks. They put a mask on him and tell him they must evacuate immediately because a deadly chemical is blowing over the compound. Scenario 2: U.S. intelligence receives credible information that radiological material is being loaded onto a ship in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. Time is short and no one knows which ship, only that it will embark soon, possibly bound for the hands of violent extremists or other state actors looking to imperil the U.S. homeland. There is no time to send U.S. security forces to intercept the package. Instead, the Kenyan Disaster Response Battalion (DRB) mobilizes and arrives at the port. Using tactics and tools gained from years of training with the United States, they find the ship and the weapon, placed there by a violent extremist organization, and prevent its departure, defeating the threat to America and its citizens. Similar scenarios have happened before in other areas of the world.

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

The U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Belgian Ministry of Defence, in partnership with U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and U.S. Indo Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) Chaplain Directorates, hosted the world’s largest annual meeting of senior military religious leaders at the 36th Annual NATO & Partner International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference (IMCCC) in Brussels, Belgium, January 27-31, 2025.

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels

Army lawyers provide training on rules for armed conflict at exercise Justified Accord

US, Kenya prepare for the unimaginable CBRN threat

36th Annual International Military Chiefs of Chaplains Conference and First Chaplain Africa Forum held in Brussels