LANSING, Mich.— The partnership between the Michigan National Guard and Sierra Leone recently marked another significant step forward in the Department of War National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program, or SPP.
The relationship, which officially began on Sept. 12, 2024, focuses on building military-to-military cooperation in logistics and interoperability. To sustain that progress, two representatives from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, or RSLAF, traveled to Michigan in early December for a weeklong engagement focused on facility management, logistics processes and relationship-building.
“This has been an ongoing effort to support the development of the partnership,” said Brian Brace, the Michigan National Guard’s AFRICOM Desk Officer who helped facilitate the new partnership. “Our instructor corps, our maintenance facility and our logisticians all play a role in their growth.”
Michigan Army National Guard’s 246th Transportation Battalion served as the host unit, guiding the tour, answering questions and sharing lessons learned from years of fleet management and sustainment operations.
A key component of the visit included a tour of the Michigan Army National Guard’s Combined Support Maintenance Shop, or CSMS, in Lansing. The CSMS is one of the premier maintenance facilities in the state. It provides equipment sustainment, vehicle painting and maintenance support for units across Michigan. Representatives from the RSLAF toured the shop to learn how the Michigan National Guard organizes its maintenance workforce.
“Establishing the relationship is the top priority,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Engel, a liaison from the 246th. “We’re helping them figure out the best way to manage and maintain the equipment they now have.”
The visiting delegation included Warrant Officer 1 Alex G. Sama, a chief of logistics for the RSLAF, and Maj. Edward K. John. The group covered everything from organizational structures and shop workflow to supply chain oversight and equipment forecasting.
“At the beginning of any partnership, we treat it like a marathon, not a sprint,” Brace said. “You meet the partner where they are. You make progress one step at a time.”
Michigan’s approach reflects the broader goals of the State Partnership Program. The SPP, established in 1993, pairs U.S. states with nations worldwide to strengthen security cooperation, share best practices and build lasting relationships. Michigan has long been a leader in the program. The partnership with Latvia, one of the original post-Cold War pairings, has grown into one of the National Guard’s most enduring relationships.
The SPP is built on long-term, person-to-person connections that span years of cooperation. Countless instances of the program’s most successful outcomes, including Liberia’s Operation Onward Liberty, began with simple conversations between soldiers, sharing knowledge one relationship at a time.
“A big part of this program is the relationships,” Brace said. “The strategic goal is ensuring the United States has a positive influence on foreign militaries. You never know when we may need one another in the future.”
Since September 2024, Michigan and Sierra Leone have completed 11 touchpoints and exchanges under the State Partnership Program. Each engagement has enabled Sierra Leone to see Michigan’s processes up close and better understand how a mature logistics enterprise operates day to day. The partnership also expands opportunities for Michigan, building cultural fluency and reinforcing readiness to operate anywhere in the world when called upon.
“I am going to bring back so many experiences from this trip,” Sama said. “We are on a mission to acquire knowledge from this partnership. We will share what we have seen with our colleagues and our logisticians. We are learning how you manage these facilities and how we can improve ours.”
John said the partnership is an opportunity that comes at the right moment for Sierra Leone’s military.
“First of all, the State Partnership Program is a huge opportunity for Sierra Leone and Michigan,” John said. “We see the value, and we are motivated to leverage this connection with the greatest superpower in the world. It is the right step in the right direction at the right time.”
Looking ahead, Michigan and Sierra Leone anticipate continued exchanges and growing opportunities for cooperation. The visit is another early step toward building a lasting, mutually beneficial partnership.