PANAMA CITY - Six members of the Missouri National Guard and professionals from Panama shared expertise and best practices during a three-day expert exchange May 6-8.
The Missouri National Guard's visit to Panama City, Panama, was part of the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program.
This engagement focused on the National Response Framework—how the United States and the Missouri National Guard respond to natural disasters or terrorist attacks.
Several agencies from Panama participated, including the National Police, National Aeronaval Service, National Border Service and National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC).
Command Sgt. Maj. James Brown, assigned to the Missouri National Guard Homeland Response Force's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Assistance Support Element, brought his expertise to the exchange.
"It's not about trying to teach them something or train them in something. It truly is about trying to just exchange information, because these are highly intelligent folks that are experts in their field, just like we're experts in our field," Brown said.
Brown is also the command sergeant major for the Missouri National Guard's 35th Military Police Brigade. He has traveled to Panama with the State Partnership Program before, teaching civil disturbance and riot control and assisting the Panamanian National Police to develop a noncommissioned officer (NCO) education system. During this visit, Brown led a tabletop exercise with the Panamanian agencies, simulating scenarios that required a coordinated domestic response.
"I think it's a great opportunity on both sides of that fence, because the Panamanians get additional exposure to the various backgrounds that we offer and the different perspectives that we bring from our country—and how we do business compared to how they operate," Brown said.
U.S. Army Master Sgt. Chris Wertz, the Missouri National Guard's State Partnership Program NCO, brought his experience from his military service and civilian role as a deputy sheriff in Missouri. Wertz provided briefings on topics such as community policing and terrorism.
Mark Anderson, an exercise planner with the Missouri National Guard, also participated in the exchange. He used a creative tool—a set of jigsaw puzzles—to illustrate leadership and problem-solving.
Anderson had participants assemble blank-side-up puzzles made of identical pieces, leaving them without a visible image to guide them. Once they completed the puzzle and flipped it over, they realized the picture was incorrect and didn't make sense. Flipping it revealed the intended image, allowing them to reassemble it properly.
The exercise symbolized how individuals might understand their own roles or skills but may not immediately see how they fit into the bigger picture until that picture becomes clear and helps everyone work together more effectively, Anderson said.
One of the Panamanian participants asked if he could use the puzzle in his own training.
"So I gave him the puzzles, and he has those now so he can use them in his training," Anderson said. "I thought that was pretty awesome."
Sam Sambolin plays a pivotal role in the Missouri National Guard's State Partnership Program. He spent years supporting the program as a Soldier before retiring as an officer. Now serving in a civilian capacity, he is responsible for planning engagements in Panama, coordinating logistics and ensuring the right subject matter experts are selected to support each mission.
"Every time I bring a group of Missouri Guardsmen to Panama, I get to see [Panama] for the first time through their eyes," Sambolin said. "Because in their interactions—the smiles, the handshakes—it's like it's the first time for me all over again, because I see them doing it for the first time. And that's the passion."
Coordination is made possible by having a dedicated presence on the ground. U.S. Army Capt. Luis Jimenez, the bilateral affairs officer for the Missouri National Guard's State Partnership Program, is serving a multi-year assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Panama under the Office of Defense Cooperation. He plays a vital role in ensuring continued engagement.
Jimenez said one unique aspect of this exchange was the close collaboration with SINAPROC, the agency responsible for coordinating emergency response and disaster management across Panama.
"They are the ones who get that phone call and do the coordination," Jimenez said. "They've got their firefighters and first responders. Being hosted by them—they're so welcoming."
The team also heard from each Panamanian agency about the unique capabilities they bring to the country's disaster response efforts and the challenges they face operating in a nation bordered by oceans on two sides and covered by densely forested areas.
The State Partnership Program builds and maintains relationships with partner nations to promote mutual expertise and strengthen security cooperation. Missouri and Panama have more than 10 engagements planned this year, and their partnership will mark its 30th anniversary in 2026.