FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky National Guard hosted Ecuadorian military members for a subject matter expert exchange focusing on interagency operations and communications in a domestic operational environment.
The Aug. 5-9 engagement between the State Partnership Program partners included activities and visits across central Kentucky, including the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort, the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, and the Lexington Fire Department.
The exchange built on engagements in Ecuador during fiscal 2023, strengthening the partnership and enhancing the capabilities of military and civilian agencies in emergency response. Kentucky’s Ecuadorian guests also experienced a taste of Kentucky culture with a tour of a distillery in Frankfort.
Brig. Gen. David Mounkes, assistant adjutant general of the Kentucky Air National Guard, emphasized the importance of collaboration.
“We work smoothly with interagency partners, including military and civilian responders, and our federal partners like the Federal Aviation Administration and FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Administration,” Mounkes said. “This enables an efficient and effective response team that benefits from our skills, ultimately saving lives and alleviating suffering.”
The visiting delegation from Ecuador included Lt. Col. Wilson Francisco Acosta Duque, ECUMIL zone coordinator for ECU 911, and Emerson Daniel Benitez Saavedra, director of humanitarian assistance for Risk Management. The group participated in briefings and tours, including a visit to the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Air Wing and a comprehensive communications exercise.
“During our annual planning conference in Camacho last year, one of the Ecuadorian planners showed great interest in how we, as a military, work with civilian organizations in emergency response,“ said Lt. Col. Daniel Cooper, director of military support. “This multi-engagement experience is unique because it expands beyond joint military discussions to understand our critical role in interagency operations, particularly in emergency response efforts.”
“We have been working hand in hand with emergency management services – like your version of FEMA,” said Col. Milton Fabary Montalvo Calderon, Ecuador National Police. “However, after working with Kentucky this week, we have a better understanding of how we can coordinate efforts with our civilian allies, in agreement with our political partners to provide more services and release more funds to do the job even better.”
In 2016 near Muisne, Ecuador was rocked by a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that killed at least 676 people and caused an estimated $3 billion in damage.
The earthquake underscored the importance of effective interagency cooperation, a key focus of the ongoing exchange in Kentucky.
“I think politically, we in Ecuador are starting to see some good changes,” said Severo Fernando Regalado Rosales, communications director for Cuenca Firefighters, Ecuador. “Following the earthquake in 2016, we have people more conscious that major emergencies happen. It’s crucial that we as a group can go to Ecuador and see what we can do to change the things that we have right now.”
For over 30 years, the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program has fostered international military relations. The partnership between the Kentucky National Guard and the Ecuadorian military, begun in 1996, has led to joint training exercises, collaborative projects, and cultural exchanges, enhancing the skills and understanding of both parties. The recent engagements are the first to venture into Kentucky communities to collaborate with local partners who often work with the Kentucky National Guard.
“Opportunities like this put into perspective that our reach is much further than the confines of Fayette County, Kentucky,” said Lexington Emergency Management Director Robert Larkin. “It provides an opportunity to interact with individuals that speak different languages, of different ethnicities, from different cultures. Within Fayette County, we have a significant Hispanic population, and many other cultures from around the world, so we’re adapting how we do things so that we can be prepared, ready, and able to respond.”