CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Soldiers from the Washington Army National Guard’s G4 maintenance section led a Stryker Maintainer and Maintenance Manager Subject Matter Expert Exchange, or SMEE, with Royal Thai Army partners in Chon Buri Province, Thailand, Dec. 1–19, 2025, continuing a multi-year effort to strengthen allied Stryker readiness and sustainment capabilities.
“This engagement marked the fifth Stryker Maintainer SMEE and the first Maintenance Manager SMEE conducted with the Royal Thai Army’s 11th Maintenance Support Battalion since August 2024, building on lessons learned during previous exchanges held in Thailand and at Yakima Training Center,” said Chief Warrant Officer Four Ricky Thomas, exchange lead and shop superintendent at the Washington Army National Guard’s Maneuver Area Training Equipment Sites.
Earlier engagements focused on foundational hands-on maintenance skills and fleet familiarization. This iteration expanded that framework by pairing advanced technical training with maintenance management principles to reinforce long-term readiness and self-sufficiency.
“By deliberately sequencing engagements across multiple years and locations, we have been able to progressively increase complexity while reinforcing shared standards and best practices,” Thomas said.
During the maintainer portion of the exchange, U.S. and Thai soldiers worked side by side on complex Stryker tasks, including removal of the Full-Up Power Pack, C7 engine and transmission splitting for replacement, C7 engine run-up and testing, valve adjustments and replacement of the backup power steering pump. Maintenance managers participated in focused discussions on maintenance operations fundamentals, sustainment principles and planning considerations for field operations, linking hands-on technical work to operational-level decision-making and logistics planning.
The combined approach reinforced the end state established during previous Stryker SMEEs: increasing the knowledge and confidence of new Royal Thai Army Stryker mechanics, improving maintenance operations and raising overall equipment readiness across the fleet.
“These exchanges underscored a shared commitment to interoperability, professional development and regional security through sustained, practical collaboration,” Thomas said. “We enjoy the collaboration with our Thai partners and look forward to continuing to work with them.”
Washington and Thailand have been paired since 2002 in the Department of War National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program.