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 | April 29, 2025

Paraguayan President Awards Top Honor to Massachusetts National Guard General

By Senior Airman Julia Ahaesy, 102nd Intelligence Wing

ASUNCION, Paraguay – U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard, has been awarded the distinguished Order of Merit “Gral Div Bernardino Caballero” in the grade of “Gran Cross” by Paraguay President Santiago Peña.

The award was presented April 24 in the Government Palace’s Independence Hall in Asunción, Paraguay. It is the highest award the commander of the Paraguayan Armed Forces grants to civilians and military personnel for their distinctive, valuable service. 

The award recognizes the strong alliance between Paraguay and the United States and the continued commitment to military-to-military cooperation. This engagement further enhanced the long-term, mutually beneficial security relationship between the Massachusetts National Guard and Paraguay, established through the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. 

“This ceremony is not only a protocol act; it represents above all the reaffirmation of the historical ties of friendship, trust and cooperation that unite our sister nations,” Peña said. “It is a tangible expression of a strategic alliance, sustained in solid principles such as democracy, freedom, institutionality and cooperative security.”

The Massachusetts National Guard’s partnership with Paraguay officially began in 2001. The partnership between Massachusetts and Paraguay was initiated under the leadership of Keefe’s father, Maj. Gen George W. Keefe, who served as the 39th adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard. Like his father, Keefe recognizes the importance of military-to-military and civilian-to-civilian relationships, and both have been the foundation of the nearly 25-year mutually beneficial partnership.

“It’s more than a partnership,” Peña said. “It’s the continuation of a proud legacy.”

For more than two decades, this partnership has evolved from focusing on improving military skills to a broad collaboration that includes cybersecurity, humanitarian response, peacekeeping and leadership development, reflecting growing trust and shared strategic interests.

“Paraguay has a long, long history of being one of the most loyal allies and partners to the United States and it continues today,” Keefe said. “The four aspects I value most about Paraguay are its commitment to family, friendship, faith and especially loyalty.”

During his visit to Asunción, Keefe met with senior leaders of the Paraguayan Armed Forces to discuss ongoing collaboration and support and to reaffirm the enduring partnership between Paraguay and the United States.

Following the ceremony, Paraguayan Vice Admiral Lucio Benítez Escalante, commander of the Paraguayan Navy, invited Keefe; U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Lisa Ahaesy, chief of staff, Massachusetts Air National Guard; and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Richard Cipro, assistant adjutant general, Massachusetts Army National Guard to the Paraguayan Navy Headquarters to discuss collaboration and cooperation between the Paraguayan Navy and the Massachusetts National Guard.

Keefe and top leaders of the Massachusetts National Guard were welcomed to the Ministry of National Defense to meet with Gral EJ (R) Óscar Luís González Cañete, Paraguay’s minister of national defense. The discussion centered on further developing programs for training, equipment supply and joint operational capabilities. Massachusetts National Guard leadership deliberated on the strengthening of military-to-military cooperation and further developed joint security and defense strategies with Paraguayan Gen. EJ César Augusto Moreno Landaira, Paraguay’s commander of the military forces, and Paraguayan Lt. Gen. Nery Torres Laconich, Paraguay’s joint chief of staff.

Additionally, Chief Master Sgt. Kawailehua Vadnais, senior enlisted leader of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, met with Special Operations Command “Fuerzas Armadas de la Nación” Operations Staff Commander Francisco Feliciano Benitez Florentin to collaborate on the continued exchange of non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer training and enlisted force development.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, the Adjutant General of North Carolina and His Excellency Mpho Churchill O. Mophuting, the Republic of Botswana’s Ambassador to the United States, greet each other during an official state visit to the Joint Force Headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, May 22, 2025. The visit was part of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program and allowed leaders from both Botswana and North Carolina to discuss future engagement opportunities.
North Carolina Guard Creating Shared Experiences
By Paul Agada, | July 14, 2025
RALEIGH, N.C. – What does the Republic of Botswana, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, have in common with North Carolina, an American state bordered by the Atlantic Ocean? Initially, one may find very little in common...

Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard II, the Adjutant General (TAG) for the D.C. National Guard, recognizes members of the 113th Wing D.C. Air National Guard and members of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) during Cyber Shield 2025 at the Virginia National Guard's State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach, VA, on June 11, 2025. Cyber Shield, the longest and largest Department of Defense cyber exercise sharpens skills, tests tactics, and strengthens collaboration in computer network defense measures and protecting our nation's critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats and cyber incident response.
District of Columbia Guard, Jamaican Defence Force Partner at Cyber Exercise
By Ayan Sheikh, | July 10, 2025
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Members of the District of Columbia Air National Guard’s 113th Communications Squadron joined more than 900 participants from across the U.S. military and allied nations for Cyber Shield 2025, a two-week...

The U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa Command Surgeon and staff, along with the Ohio National Guard, visit medical students and doctors at the American Corner prior to attending the Platinum Wolf 25 Distinguished Visitor day in Bujanovac, Serbia, June 26, 2025. PW25 is an exercise focused on regional stability, partnership, and interoperability between the U.S., regional forces, and the Serbian Armed Forces, marking the first time Stamp and his staff attended in support of the medical teams that participated in the exercise.
Ohio Guard Attends Exercise Platinum Wolf in Serbia
By 1st Lt. Kaseyann Cornwall, | July 3, 2025
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany – Several high-ranking officials from U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, or USAFE-AFAFRICA, and the Ohio National Guard participated in the June 26 Distinguished Visitor day at Exercise...