SALEM, Ore. – When the opportunity to become the bilateral affairs officer for Vietnam arose, Oregon National Guard Air Force Maj. Angie Hayes jumped at the chance to live abroad and serve her country as part of the State Partnership Program.
“This is something I always wanted to do,” Hayes said. “Now that I am about to leave, I can’t believe how fast the last year has gone.”
It all started for Hayes two years ago, when she attended a workshop where Lt. Col. Christopher Markesino, Oregon National Guard SPP director, described the SPP program and the BAO position.
“I remember being on the edge of my seat and listening, but then he said these positions are just Army-funded resources in Oregon,“ she said.
Hayes had just transferred from the 142nd Wing’s Force Support Squadron in Portland, taking on the job as the Oregon Air National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters A-1 director in Salem.
“Colonel Kosdera (Joint Forces Headquarters - Air Component chief of staff) was my boss at the time and he asked me, ‘What are the things you want to do in your career?‘ I was still new in the job but I told him for my next job, I intend to apply for any overseas assignments that are available.”
A month later, Kosdera said Air Force members could apply for the Oregon National Guard BLO position.
“This was the first year Oregon opened it up to let Air Force [members] apply,” she said.
The position became available with a swap with the Wisconsin National Guard. It picked up Oregon’s Army designate to send to their partner, Papua New Guinea.
The opportunity to serve as the BLO for the Office of Defense Cooperation, U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, is not lost on Hayes. After a break from active duty, serving from 2008 to 2013 at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, she joined the Oregon Air National Guard in October 2018.
“When I joined the Guard I didn’t know about technician employment or the jobs in the AGR (Active Guard and Reserve) program. Like many who join the Guard, I started off as a traditional Guardsman, then got hired as a technician before converting recently to an AGR position. It really has been a rewarding learning experience.”
Before departing to Vietnam, Hayes made three trips to prepare for missions. She was part of the Pacific Partnership working last summer on a CERFP exercise at Phu Yen along the coast.
Hayes also attended the Security Cooperation Operations course at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The two-month course provides instruction on how the office supports Department of Defense activities to encourage international partners to work with the United States to achieve strategic objectives.
The State Partnership Program is a security cooperation program of the DOD that builds enduring partnerships with partner nations. The BLO is assigned to the U.S. Embassy’s Security Cooperation Office to strengthen U.S. relationships with allies and partners.
“Oregon’s Guardsmen work on the cooperation end of the spectrum doing these critical military-to-military engagements,“ Hayes said.
This includes leading Disaster Management Engagement Activity, supporting U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Pacific Partnership, cybersecurity capability development, and explosive ordnance disposal training. One of the long-term medical goals was recently completed with the establishment of Vietnam’s International Trauma Life Support chapter with the help of Lt. Col. Christopher Webb, 142nd Wing Medical Group.
Hayes said the ITLS chapter was the ideal security cooperation success.
“It started with training the partner on deployment requirements for their United Nations peacekeeping operations mission in South Sudan,“ she said.
“What I am excited to learn the most are the key elements that hold true and the areas of cooperation that are mutually beneficial across the two cultures,“ Hayes said. “But I also know there will be quite a few moments where I will see things from a completely new point of view or a different angle.”
Another benefit of this assignment is taking her husband and two children with her to Vietnam.
“Like living anywhere, there are good days and others that are challenging,” she said. “The kids are settling into school, making new friends, and we have been shopping in some of the local markets too – if we can carry it.”
She works in the Office of Defense Cooperation with staff, joint military, civilians and locals.
“This job requires a need to always be thinking ahead,” Hayes said. “I will be the embassy representative attending a cybersecurity course closing dinner hosted by the partner. I have ongoing meetings for Pacific Partnership, which is the Navy’s largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission I am providing in-country support for, and then have oversight for the ongoing Humanitarian Assistance Program EOD course. I am constantly meeting with a variety of new people who support these programs to keep coordination and strong communication for successful engagements.”
One of the war legacy efforts is working together to address unexploded ordnance. Since 1993, the U.S. government has contributed more than $206 million for UXO efforts. The U.S. Army Pacific Command funds an International Mine Action Standard EOD train-the-trainer program. This involves American EOD technicians supporting in an advisory capacity.
“A group of active duty and Alaskan Guard members had just recently completed a train-the-trainer course,“ she said. “They are working in four very specific regions of the country, one being Quang Tri Province.”
On the horizon Hayes said the Cyber Working Group will soon be taking place, which will involve working with the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and Vietnam’s Cyber Command. “This is an effort that the Oregon National Guard SPP will be supporting.”
As demanding as the job can be, Hayes said the experience will help shape her career.
“This role of working in a strategic environment as part of a joint team while operating in an international environment is really a once-in-a-life opportunity,” she said.