BIDDLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Pa. - Leaders from the Pennsylvania National Guard and State Partnership Program partner Lithuania discussed cyber defense during a visit to the 111th Attack Wing Oct. 28.
Margiris Abukevičius, Lithuanian vice minister of defense, and his adviser, Tadas Sakunas, were joined by Monika Koroliovienė, defense counselor, Embassy of Lithuania, and Master Sgt. Valdas Kačerauskas, deputy defense attaché, Embassy of Lithuania, during a visit to the 112th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 111th ATKW.
Pennsylvania Air National Guard Lt. Col. Thomas Love, commander, 112th COS, greeted the Lithuanian delegation at Biddle Air National Guard Base.
The delegation included Col. Donald O’Shell, director of staff, PAANG; Maj. Christine Pierce, cyber defense branch chief, Pennsylvania Army National Guard; and Capt. Nathaniel Curtis, State Partnership Program coordinator, PAANG.
“The purpose of this visit is to further the security cooperation efforts between Lithuania and Pennsylvania in support of the State Partnership Program,” Love said. “We’re always looking at ways we can train and work together to improve our interoperability and cyber defense capabilities.”
Love and other Guard leaders briefed the Lithuanian delegation and they toured cyber defense facilities at Biddle Air National Guard Base. The group discussed strategic planning, cyber defense and areas of future cooperation.
Lithuania and the Pennsylvania National Guard have been partners under the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program since 1993.
The State Partnership Program has been building relationships for almost 30 years and includes 87 partnerships with 95 nations.