An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | July 19, 2023

Nevada Guard Partners with Samoa

By Capt. Micah Gill, Nevada National Guard

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Nevada National Guard, the U.S. Embassy in Samoa and the Government of Samoa officials are ecstatic to announce the official collaboration between the Nevada National Guard and the Government of Samoa under the National Guard’s State Partnership Program which was signed and finalized on July 6. 

The collaboration promises to fortify the bonds between Samoa and the United States and represents a significant milestone in diplomacy and cooperation between the two nations. Coincidently this month, the National Guard’s State Partnership Program is marking 30 years of mutually beneficial missions, exchanges and exercises in every corner of the globe since the program’s inception in 1993. 

The State Partnership Program is a Department of Defense program that pairs National Guard states with foreign countries. The program aims to facilitate mutual support, cooperation, and development across various sectors, including defense, emergency management, and humanitarian assistance. 

The Government of Samoa is the Nevada Guard’s third partner; it has also teamed with the Kingdom of Tonga since 2014 and the Republic of Fiji since 2018. According to the National Guard Bureau, there are now 100 security cooperation agreements between the National Guard states, territories and the District of Columbia and countries around the world: The total reflects that more than half of the world’s 195 sovereign recognized nations are participating in the State Partnership Program.

Samoa is composed of numerous islands in the South Pacific Ocean and lies about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. The county has a population of about 207,000 and about 75 percent live on the island of Upolu. Its total land mass is slightly smaller than Rhode Island at 2,831 square kilometers.

The signing ceremony was held July 6 in Apia, Samoa, at the U.S. Embassy residence, including Nevada National Guard Maj. Gen. Ondra Berry and Samoa’s Minister of Police, Prisons and Corrections Services, the Honorable Faualo Harry Schuster.

“The signing between Samoa and the state of Nevada is a big step forward in our bilateral partnership. The State Partnership program will enable new possibilities in disaster response, humanitarian assistance, cultural exchange, and much more,” said U.S. Ambassador to Samoa Tom Udall.

Officials said the newly formed State Partnership Program team will leverage the unique defense capabilities, skills, and resources of the Nevada National Guard and contribute to the long-term development and growth of Samoa’s defense forces, emergency management, and national security sectors.

The State Partnership Program agreement creates a platform for Samoa and Nevada Guard representatives to engage in cultural exchanges, economic collaboration and educational opportunities. As ties deepen, the program promises to build shared understanding, promote cultural appreciation, and develop lasting friendships between Samoans and Nevadans.

 

 

Related Articles
The Nevada Air National Guard's High Rollers arrive in Antarctica Dec. 18, 2024, to support the annual U.S. military mission in Antarctica. They flew augmented max duty day missions, logging over 30 hours in three days.
Nevada Guard Airlift Wing Assists with Operation Deep Freeze
By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber, | Feb. 4, 2025
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - The 152nd Airlift Wing “High Rollers” from the Nevada Air National Guard achieved a historic first by participating in Operation Deep Freeze.The High Rollers supported the annual U.S. military...

U.S. Army Sgt. Bryce Carter, an infantryman with C Company, 1st Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment, California Army National Guard, sharpens the blade of a hoe to clear brush and other debris as part of remediation efforts along the Mulholland Trail near Tarzana, California, in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire, Jan. 18, 2025. Carter and other members of his unit were assisting CALFIRE in mop-up efforts, which included clearing brush and backfilling firebreaks and other areas to prevent mudslides and reduce the impact of firefighting efforts.
National Guard Members Continue LA Wildfire Response
By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, | Jan. 21, 2025
LOS ANGELES – U.S. Army Sgt. Ricardo Hernandez watched from a cross street as sporadic traffic passed on the Pacific Coast Highway near Pacific Palisades. The late afternoon sun glinted off his sunglasses as a man on a...

Master Sgt. Alan Franklin, a commander's support Airman with the 146th Airlift Wing, speaks to 1st Lt. Aiden Flores about the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System mission on the flightline at Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Port Hueneme, California, Jan. 13, 2025. MAFFS aircraft from the Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing, Cheyenne, Wyoming, the 152nd Airlift Wing, Reno, Nevada, the 146th Airlift Wing, Port Hueneme, California, and Air Force Reserve Command’s 302 AW, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, are working together to combat fires in the Los Angeles area.
California Guardsman Helps Battle Wildfires in His Community
By Tech. Sgt. Michelle Ulber, | Jan. 16, 2025
CHANNEL ISLANDS AIR NATIONAL GUARD STATION,  Calif. - Amid the wildfire crisis in California, an Air National Guard member's resilience, dedication and commitment to service stand out.Master Sgt. Alan Franklin, a commander's...