PANAMA CITY, Republic of Panama – A delegation of Missouri government leaders and Missouri National Guard officials, led by Gov. Jay Nixon and Maj. Gen. Steve Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, visited senior government and military officials in the Republic of Panama on a dual-purpose mission last week.
Nixon led a delegation of Missouri government leaders on a trade mission while the other purpose for the four-day visit consisted of a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Missouri National Guard's State Partnership relationship with Panama. During the ceremony, both Nixon and Danner spoke to a capacity crowd regarding the milestones, achievements and future potential of the program.
They joined Republic of Panama dignitaries including Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, Ambassador John D. Feeley, Rogelio Donadio, the vice minister of public security and Lt. General Joseph L. Lengyel the vice chief, National Guard Bureau.
Nixon called the National Guard's State Partnership Program a model program of international cooperation.
During his speech, Nixon said, "The partnership program began as a way to promote regional stability around the globe through military-to-military cooperation on shared security objectives. Adapted to reflect Panama's civilian security forces…, the partnership has grown into something much larger, more significant and of greater benefit to the people of both Missouri and Panama."
In the early years of the program, the Missouri National Guard and Panama worked together to improve rural infrastructure in Panama. Engineers helped build roads and bridges, and constructed five schools and two medical clinics in rural areas. They also drilled water wells together and installed 200 water purification systems.
"What started out as security engagements between Panama and Missouri 20 years ago has evolved to so much more today," said Danner. "It has grown to bring in more people than just the military. Civilian organizations are now working together and building relationships. In 2008, Kansas City Children's Mercy Hospital established an agreement with Panama City's Children Hospital. In 2009, State of Missouri Department of Higher Education established an agreement with Panama's National Counsel of Institute for the Formation and Betterment of Human Resources. In 2010, Missouri Rotary District #6080 and the Panama Internal Rotary Club worked together for a cooperative project."
A subject matter exchange on surveillance for counter illicit trafficking ran concurrent to the celebration. The three-day exchange included participants from the Panama Protection Forces and five members of the Missouri Guard. During the second day of the event, Danner stopped in to meet with participants, participate in the discussion and tour the training facility.
Throughout the years, Missouri and Panama have conducted over 108 partnership events. On the heels of the anniversary celebration, Missouri has a group of subject matter experts headed to Panama for an exchange on ground operations for senior leadership, and early warning systems for natural and manmade disasters.
This subject matter expert exchange includes participants form the Panama Public Forces and Service members from the Missouri National Guard joint operations center as well as Airmen who are emergency management managers with the 139th Airlift Wing.
The U.S. National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program, which pairs U.S. state National Guards with other nations around the globe, began in 1991, with three Baltic nations and today has successfully built relationships that includes 70 unique security partnerships involving 76 nations around the globe. Through the program, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.
In 1996, the Missouri National Guard began building a partnership with the Republic of Panama as part of the State Partnership Program. This rich and productive partnership has evolved over the past 20 years, taking many forms, but generally focusing on four key areas of mutual interest: humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, counter illicit trafficking, aviation maintenance, and hazardous materials emergency response.