The National Guard's 65-nation, 20-year-old State Partnership Program provides unique partnership capacity-building capabilities to combatant commanders and U.S. ambassadors through partnerships between U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia and foreign countries.
The SPP supports U.S. national interests and security cooperation goals by engaging partner nations via military, socio-political and economic conduits at the local, state and national level.
The SPP evolved from a 1991 U.S. European Command decision to set up the Joint Contact Team Program in the Baltic Region with Reserve component Soldiers and Airmen. A subsequent National Guard Bureau proposal paired U.S. states with three nations emerging from the former Soviet Bloc and the SPP was born, becoming a key U.S. security cooperation tool, facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encouraging people-to-people ties at the state level.
VIDEO
State Partnership Meeting between Indonesia and HawaiiRecently at Hawaii's Department of Defense Joint Forces Headquarters Hawaii's Deputy Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Joseph Kim Hosted a delegation from Indonesia containing Major General Hambali, Deputy Assistant to the Indonesia Armed Forces Commanders in Chief, and key members of his staff in support of the State Partnership Program.
National Guard 2012 State Partnership Program Symposium Speakers: Dr. Kathleen Hicks
Dr. Kathleen Hicks, principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for policy, speaks at the National Guard State Partnership Symposium in Washington D.C., in June, 2012
National Guard 2012 State Partnership Program Symposium Speakers: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, speaks at the National Guard State Partnership Symposium in Washington D.C. in June 2012
National Guard 2012 State Partnership Program Symposium Speakers: Senator (NE) Chuck Hagel
Former Nebraska Senator, Hon. Chuck Hagel, speaks at the National Guard State Partnership Symposium in Washington D.C. in June 2012
National Guard 2012 State Partnership Program Symposium Speakers: Lt. Gen. (ret) John B. Conaway
Retired Lt. Gen. John B. Conaway, former Chief, National Guard Bureau, speaks at the National Guard State Partnership Symposium dinner in Washington D.C. in June 2012
VIDEO
National Guard State Partnership Program: 20 Years Later20 years after the National Guard's State Partnership Program (SPP) began, it has grown from just a handful in Europe to a global endeavor. Learn more about the scope and philosophy behind this visionary and valuable diplomatic tool.
Time: 6:44
SPOTLIGHT REPORTS
- South Dakota Soldiers train Suriname special forces- May 3, 2013
- Oregon National Guard wraps up State Partnership Program workshop with Vietnamese delegation- April 25, 2013
- Guam Army National Guard medical detachment treats nearly 13,000 in Philippines- April 24, 2013
- Vietnam People's Army delegation visits Oregon National Guard- April 17, 2013
- Colombian Air Force commander visits McEntire Joint National Guard Base - April 10, 2012
- Jordan provides hospitality and brotherhood for all - April 9, 2012
- Former Lithuanian president meets with Pa. adjutant general; boosts State Partnership Program - April 2, 2012
- Women from the New Hampshire National Guard and Salvadoran military exchange security expertise - March 29, 2012
- U.S. ambassador to El Salvador praises New Hampshire National Guard for partnership - March 29, 2012
- Delaware National Guard hosts Trinidad and Tobago for a critical-infrastructure protection conference - December 17, 2012
- South Dakota National Guard combat lifesavers train in South America - December 10, 2012
- Oregon National Guard begins historic partnership with Vietnam - November 29, 2012
- Arizona National Guard shares knowledge with Kazakhstan unit - November 20, 2012
- S.D. National Guard provides a Women in the Military - workshop for Suriname - armed forces - October 12, 2012
- In and outside the classroom, Wisconsin Guard members immerse themselves in Spanish - October 3, 2012
- Romanian defense chief visits Alabama National Guard - September 26, 2012
- New York National Guard meets face to face to strengthen South Africa relationships - September 25, 2012
- Delaware National Guard helps Trinidad and Tobago hail its independence - September 20, 2012
- South Dakota National Guard trains the trainers in Suriname - September 18, 2012
- Estonian air force pilots deploy with Maryland Army Guard aviation unit as part of SPP partnership - September 5, 2012
- D.C. National Guard leaders meet with Jamaican Defense Force leadership, solidify SPP relationship - August 28, 2012
- North Dakota National Guard concludes series of SPP engagements - August 24, 2012
- Ohio National Guard engineers work with Serbian Armed Forces on school reconstruction project - August 21, 2012
- State Partnership between Alaska, Mongolia strengthened through commonalities - August 20, 2012
- New Hampshire Air Guard members participate in all-female law enforcement exchange with El Salvador - August 10, 2012
- Guam National Guard members build on State Partnership with Philippines - August 7, 2012
- District of Columbia Guard members celebrate history, partnership with Jamaica counterparts - July 23, 2012
- National Guard, active duty medics work together to achieve common goals in Cambodia - July 19, 2012
- Florida Army Guard's 13th Army Band assists Guyana partnership mission - July 17, 2012
- Colorado National Guard, Jordanian Armed Forces conduct eighth women's leadership engagement - July 13, 2012
- Vermont Air National Guard members among U.S. service members providing humanitarian aid in Senegal - July 12, 2012
- South African National Defense Force leaders learn logistics from New York Guard members - July 11, 2012
- New Hampshire Air National Guard medics travel to El Salvador, take part in urban search and rescue exchange - July 10, 2012
- State Partnership Program part of Africom's theater engagement plan - July 6, 2012
- Through State Partnership Program, Maryland National Guard works to enhance foreign nations’ interoperability - June 26, 2012
- Latvian prime minister praises Latvia, Michigan National Guard relationship - June 25, 2012
- Estonian ambassador visits Estonian pilots training with Maryland Army National Guard - June 22, 2012
- Suriname military leaders, South Dakota National Guard exchange leadership training, team building techniques - June 18, 2012
- Wyoming Air Guard members exchange aeromedical evacuation knowledge with Tunisian partners - June 14, 2012
- Idaho National Guard partnership with Cambodia gains momentum - June 7, 2012
- Minnesota National Guard Soldiers train with partners in Croatia - May 31, 2012
U.S. European Command (USEUCOM)
U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM)
U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)
U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM)
U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM)
U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM)
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