CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii - The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hosted the annual senior leaders forum for the State Partnership Program Sept. 10-16.
SPP links a state’s National Guard with a partner country’s military or security forces in a mutually beneficial relationship that supports theater campaign plan objectives and fosters long-term relationships. These partnerships improve global security, deepen mutual understanding, and promote greater cooperation on defense and security issues.
“One of the greatest things that the state partnership gives us is longevity of relationships,” said United Kingdom Royal Navy Cdre. Jonathan Lett, J5 deputy for policy, USINDOPACOM. “The relationships and the partnerships that the National Guard builds in this region just go on for years and years and years. They grow up together. They develop together.”
The State Partnership Program started in 1993 with just 13 partners and has expanded to include 106 partner nations.
In the Indo-Pacific, Alaska is partnered with Mongolia; Idaho with Cambodia; Hawaii with the Philippines and Indonesia; Montana with Sri Lanka and Maldives; Nevada with Tonga, Fiji and Samoa; Oregon with Bangladesh and Vietnam; Rhode Island with Timor-Leste, Washington with Malaysia and Thailand; and Guam with Palau and a shared partnership with the Philippines.
“I champion the State Partnership Program in this area of responsibility, Lett said. “On a daily basis, Guardsmen are out there as a genuine force multiplier for the United States and for USINDOPACOM. It’s fantastic. I celebrate the amazing work they do and congratulate them on it!”
During the forum, more than 50 officials from all partner states, including adjutant generals, State Partnership Program directors, bilateral affairs officers and other senior leaders, learned about key topics and areas of concern. They reviewed what has been successful, challenges and initiatives and discussed their programs with INDOPACOM staff and other National Guard units.
“It’s important to have this senior leader forum because it helps highlight all the excellent work that SPP partnerships are doing out into the region,” said U.S. Army Maj. Dustin Petersen, State Partnership Program director for the Nevada National Guard. “There’s something to be said about being together with like-minded people, being in the COCOMs building, and hearing it from all the players and stakeholders in the region and showing how we are aligned with the national vision.”
Presenters also noted the importance of current initiatives, including women, peace and security; overseas humanitarian disaster and civic aid; climate resilience, Office of the Command Surgeon and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
“We do everything we can to really strengthen our friendships, our partnerships and mutually benefit each other,” Petersen said. “At some point, we might have to lean on one another. And it’s better to build our friendships now. It’s hard to surge trust; it’s better to have it before there’s anything going wrong.”
Oregon Air Force National Guard Maj. Angelica Hayes, Oregon’s bilateral affairs officer in Vietnam, is new to the position.
“I’ve had a lot of theory, a lot of how I’ll fit in, what I’ll be doing, but now I am actually there doing it and getting some hands-on application,” Hayes said. “So, coming here is just reinforcing and reconnecting all those theories and making sure I am applying and making those connections correctly.”
The new BAO expresses the importance of recognizing networks and connections for the success of SPP and personal growth.
“The biggest thing that I think I’m getting out of this is just the networking, meeting a lot of people that are in the area. Hearing their challenges or their successes is helpful when I go to problem-solve in the future,” Hayes said. “We’re building relationships in the nation with our partner nation, but we are also building relationships within each other. That’s going to make us more successful if we have to respond to any type of emergency in the future.”