Montenegro MOD visits with Maine Guard

By Sgt. Peter Morrison
Maine National Guard

Governor John E. Baldacci, Montenegrin Minister of Defense Boro Vucinic and Major General John Libby Meet at the Blaine House as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program with Maine and Montenegro Oct 6. (US Army Photo by Sgt. Peter D. Morrison)
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AUGUSTA, Maine (10/8/09) - The Maine National Guard hosted Montenegro’s Minister of Defense during a short visit to the state, where he met with Gov. John Baldacci, toured the Bath Iron Works Shipyard and sampled the best from Maine’s vineyards this week.

Boro Vucinic, the minister of defense for the one of the world’s youngest democracies, is here as part of National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, which pairs foreign governments with states to improve military and civilian relations.

“We have cooperation with the United States in three parts,” said Vucinic. “One is military cooperation with the state of Maine and the National Guard of Maine, the second area is the program of training our armed forces and the third, also very important, is the program of destroying the surplus of ammunitions and weapons in Montenegro.”

The minister of defense and his delegates traveled in UH60 Blackhawk helicopters and were able to view Maine and its scenic coastline. Montenegro, once part of the former Communist nation, Yugoslavia, gained its independence from Serbia in 2006, and has similar land and costal features to the state.

Delegates flew to Augusta, where they met with Baldacci, who noted the collaboration is one of the most intense in the National Guards Partnership Program.

“In addition to the work of the Maine Army National Guard, Maine has expanded its outreach to include economic development, tourism, education, public safety and emergency management,” he said.

While here, Vucinic saw firsthand Maine’s strong quality of work when he toured Bath Iron Works to seek ways to improve their own shipbuilding and other naval considerations.

Topping off the trip Vucinic, an avid wine maker, enjoyed a taste of Maine when he visited a local vineyard overlooking Maine’s mid autumn foliage exhibit.

The SPP continues to foster a relationship with Montenegro sending military representatives, law enforcement officials and university professors to the country in the hope of assisting the fledgling nation.

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