The National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program will celebrate 30 years of building and growing successful, long-term trust relationships with allies and partners around the globe July 17-18 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at National Harbor, Md. SPP is a Department of Defense security cooperation program with 88 partnerships and 100 nations.
We invite you to RSVP for one or more of the 30th Anniversary Conference events listed below. Invited speakers include Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley; JCS member, Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau; and other high-ranking U.S. and foreign defense officials.
Military and diplomatic leadership from most of our 100 partner nations, the Congress, U.S. Departments of Defense and State, and the 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia will commemorate SPP's past achievements and determine future goals for this critically-important program.
The Chief of the National Guard Bureau manages and administers SPP, which geographic combatant commanders execute. The National Guards of the states, territories, and the District of Columbia provide the Soldiers, Airmen, expertise and equipment for SPP engagements. The SPP supports combatant command security cooperation objectives and those of the U.S. ambassador in each partner nation.
Due to enhanced security requirements, additional credentialing will be required. Media members are encouraged to RSVP by 3 p.m. on July 16 using the link below to ensure access to conference attendees and venues.
Media members unable to attend in person may watch the livestream feed at https://vimeo.com/event/3563169. Transcripts of the below events also will be posted to nationalguard.mil for media members unable to attend.
Credentialed media may attend one or more of the following conference events:
- Event 1: Conference Opening Remarks and SPP Highlights, 9 a.m., July 17
- Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau
- Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, White House homeland security advisor
- Lt. Gen. Marc H. Sasseville, vice chief, National Guard Bureau
- Event 2: Panel Discussion: Global Threats to Security and Challenges, 11 a.m., July 17
- Lt. Gen. Dan Cain, associate director for military affairs, Central Intelligence Agency
- Event 3: Banquet Closing Remarks, 8:30 p.m., July 17
- Gen. Mark E. Milley, chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Event 4: Panel Discussion: Future Vision: The Next 30 Years, 9 a.m. July 18
- Maj. Gen. William Zana, director for strategy, plans, and policy, National Guard Bureau (moderator)
- Gen. Daniel Petrescu, chief of defense, Republic of Romania
- Vice Adm. Stephen “Web” Koehler, director for strategy, plans, and policy, Joint Staff
- Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities Madeline Mortelmans, Department of Defense
- Celeste Gventer, president, Defense Security Cooperation University
- Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, adjutant general, Wisconsin
- Event 5: Panel Discussion: Expanding Beyond Military Relations, 10:45 a.m., July 18
- Ambassador Dennis Hankins, foreign policy advisor, National Guard Bureau (moderator)
- Daniel Ricchetti, deputy special representative for city and state diplomacy, Office of Global Partnerships, Department of State
- Ethan Rosenzweig, deputy assistant secretary for academic programs, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State
- Diane Farrell, deputy under secretary for international trade, Department of Commerce
- Maj. Gen. Todd Hunt, adjutant general, North Carolina
- Maj. Gen. Gregory Knight, adjutant general, Vermont
- Event 6: Panel Discussion: Cyber and Information, 1 p.m., July 18
- Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, director, plans and policy, U.S. Cyber Command (moderator)
- JeeYoung Oh, director for threat management and operational coordination, Department of State
- Maj. Gen. W. Joe Hartman, commander, Cyber National Mission Force, U. S. Cyber Command
- Maj. Gen. Richard Neely, adjutant general, Illinois
- Event 7: Panel Discussion: Climate Change and Resiliency, 2:30 p.m., July 18
- Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Iris Ferguson, Arctic and Global Resilience, Department of Defense (moderator)
- Assistant Secretary of Defense Sharon Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs, Department of Defense
- Maj. Gen. Bernard Waliaula, director, Defence National Security Industries, Kenya
- Maj. Gen. Jim Ring, adjutant general, Virginia
- Event 8: Conference Closing Remarks, 3:45 p.m., July 18
- Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau
Additional instructions for credentialing procedures will be provided once your RSVP is received.
Media RSVP form: https://ngpa.us/SPP30thConference
For more information on the State Partnership Program, visit the National Guard’s SPP website.
For more information, please contact NGB Media Operations at 703-601-6767 or email ng.ncr.ngb-arng.mesg.ngb-media-desk-owner@army.mil.