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Wyoming NG and Tunisia.jpg

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Photo by: U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs 

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Kentucky National Guard, Djibouti Demining Company train as part of State Partnership Program

Capt. Le Mohamed Louaita, commander of the Djiboutian Demining Company, expresses gratitude to Tech. Sgt. Dylan Wagner, explosive ordnance disposal technician, during training Aug. 22, 2021, in Djibouti City, Djibouti. The demining unit was established in 2001 to ensure that Djibouti could become mine-free after years of civil war throughout the 1990s, a goal that was achieved in 2003. Eighteen years later, mines remain a threat in the surrounding region.

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Photo by: Sgt. Jessica Elbouab 

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Training program with Defense Threat Reduction Agency readies Senegal for regional emergency response role

Senegal Military members treat a simulated casualty from a chemical attack during a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense demonstration hosted by the Moroccan and Senegalese militaries in Agadir, Morocco, during African Lion 2021, June 15, 2021.The training event marked a culmination of a six-year program with the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency to enhance the Senegalese National Fire Brigade as a trained and ready Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear response organization.

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Photo by: Sgt. Casey Dinnison 

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First Moroccan attends Swiss NCO course

Students discuss the five conflict-handling modes during Switzerland’s International Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Leadership Course, October 13, 2021, in Gossau, Switzerland. The leadership course consisted of many different exercises for multi-national SNCO’s to participate in order to further develop and improve their leadership skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Autumn Vogt)

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Photo by: Senior Airman Autumn Vogt 

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Aviators in Vermont, Senegal conduct exchange to strengthen relationships, piloting skills

Vermont Army National Guard rotary-wing pilots with 86th Troop Command conducted an aviation exchange with Senegalese Air Force pilots, March 13-19, 2022. The exchange was part of the State Partnership Program and the pilots discussed topics of aviation safety in addition to visiting Senegalese Air Force facilities.

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Photo by: Joshua Cohen 

A three-decade security cooperation program with almost half the world’s nations is critical to America’s national security, said Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, during an annual gathering of Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program leaders in early April, 2022. 

Individual relationships built over years — sometimes decades — might be the SPP’s unique magic ingredient: The National Guard was chosen as the military organization to lead the program in part because of the continuity offered by Guard members serving in the same unit for longer durations than their active-duty counterparts, said Army Maj. Gen. Reginald Neal, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Pacific.

“These partnerships are all about trust and familiarity,” said Reginald. “Guard members are an invaluable resource in providing a persistent and continual presence.”

The SPP pairs the National Guard in the states, territories and the District of Columbia with nations worldwide. What began with 13 partnerships in 1993 is now up to 87 partnerships with 93 countries. SPP administrators plan to add about two partnerships each of the next 15 years.

Administered by the National Guard Bureau, the SPP is guided by State Department foreign policy goals and executed by the adjutants general. The SPP supports combatant commander and chief of mission security cooperation objectives and DOD policy goals.

“We had a slow couple of years … because of COVID, but it’s really coming back, and it’s going to be more focused than ever,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Randolph Staudenraus, the director of NGB’s strategic plans, policy and international affairs, which administers the SPP. “We’ve been very concentrated on training with our partners in the past. That will continue, but we also want to address the issues of tomorrow now.”

While the pandemic forced a pause on many activities, engagements have bounced back in 2022, Staudenraus said.

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility is one of the regions eyed for growth. There are 13 partnerships in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, and Neal, the U.S. Army Pacific deputy commander, said there might be growth opportunities.

Africa also might offer expansion opportunities, said Ambassador Andrew Young, U.S. Africa Command’s deputy to the commander for civil-military engagement.

Young lauded the SPP’s success with African partner nations.

“We are most effective when we synchronize diplomacy, development and defense,” he said. “National Guard state partnerships build on these fundamental values. The priceless network of these relationships is based on the most powerful tool that we have: trust.

“Our motto at U.S. Africa Command is to accomplish our objectives by, with and through our partners,” he said. “That is such a good fit for the State Partnership Program. To achieve sustainable outcomes, we must enable our partners — and the National Guard does this through the SPP.”

The SPP now includes 16 partnerships with African nations, and Young emphasized the continent’s strategic importance. “America cannot ignore Africa,” he said. “Africa is linked to American interests, and our competitors see the advantage of Africa.”

The State Partnership Program started in Europe in 1993 with partnerships between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with the Maryland, Michigan and Pennsylvania National Guard, respectively. Now, 23 European nations are in the SPP.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, Illinois adjutant general, said modernization is a key component of all partnerships, and cited his state’s mature partnership with Poland, which also began in 1993.

“We’re very proud of our modernization initiatives with Poland,” Neely said. “We helped deliver their first F-16s. We helped deliver their first C-130s. We were flying these aircraft, and now they are too. We helped them set up a noncommissioned officer corps.

“We have operated on the backs of the NCOs,” he said. “We take it for granted sometimes. They’re out there making decisions to move a squad forward. Not everywhere in the world is it like that. It takes time and relationships to help our partners see the value in establishing and effectively utilizing an NCO corps.”

A panel discussion, led by National Guard enlisted leaders, focused on this concept of enlisted and NCO development with partner nations.

“What the Guard brings to our partners as far as enlisted development is invaluable,” said Senior Enlisted Advisor Tony Whitehead, senior enlisted advisor to the chief of the National Guard Bureau. “We have set a precedent and a foundation that can encourage our partner nations to educate and empower their enlisted corps.”

Young concluded his remarks by saying the State Partnership Program delivers substantial returns on modest investments through enduring partnerships and long-term relationships.

“We need to tell the story of the SPP,” Young said, “and continue to expand from those military-to-military engagements and include more military-to-civilian and civilian-to-civilian engagements. With this, the SPP will continue to be a two-way street where both partners win.”