DENVER, Colo. - Jordan is the only Middle East country to be part of the National Guard's State Partnership Program. Colorado and Jordan have been partnered for 10 years.
The Colorado National Guard celebrated its 10 year partnership with Jordan at the Colorado governor's mansion in Denver. After making comments and presentations, the Colorado adjutant general and His Royal Highness, Prince Faisal bin al Hussein, commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, made remarks about the current threats to Jordan, including ISIS threats from Syria.
Prince Faisal reiterated Jordan's commitment to helping refugees in the region despite the cost and thanked other regional partners for their assistance.
Colorado's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. H. Michael Edwards commented that although the Colorado National Guard is only a portion of the U.S. military strength, the 10-year partnership with Jordan places Colorado in a unique position to render aid to Jordan, should President Barack Obama direct it.
The National Guard State Partnership Program, or SPP, is in its 21st year successfully building long-lasting relationships that today include 74 unique security partnerships involving one-third of the world's nations.
The SPP links a unique component of the Department of Defense, a state's National Guard, with the armed forces or equivalent of a partner country in a cooperative, enduring, and mutually beneficial relationship.