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• Capacity building;
• Military and security training;
• Helping to establish and develop the democratic and accountable civil and governmental institutions and offices;
• Public safety; 
• Assisting in economic development and growth.

The State Partnership Program (SPP) initiated originally by Department of Defense in 1991, is a solid joint project with the State Department. The program is mainly implemented by the National Guard of every U.S State, territories, and the District of Colombia, as currently partnering with 89 nations across the different continents. 

Added to military engagements, the partnership also includes diplomatic, economic development, and capacity building plans.

The National Guard of District of Colombia has been in partnership with Jamaica (Western Hemisphere) since 1999. This partnership incorporates the completion of almost 20 engagements a year on a mutually benefited outcome.

The integral part of these engagements are highlighted as follows: 

• Military training and exercises;
• Military police training and domestic security, counternarcotic;
• Border, port and aviation security;
• Training against violent extremist organizations;
• Detect, mitigation, and respond to natural/human-made disasters;
• Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief;
• Crisis management;
• Medical, dental training, as well as the combat medical events. 

In February 2019 the D.C National Guard expanded its SPP by forming an additional partnership with Burkina Faso (West Africa).  

“The D.C. National Guard is proud to be a part of the multi-faceted relationship between the United States and Burkina Faso,”   

“I am confident that the D.C. National Guard and Burkina Faso will benefit from the extraordinary talents, skills and experiences each will bring to this exciting partnership”, expressed Army Maj. Gen. William J. Walker, D.C. National Guard Commanding General. ©U.S Army February 4 2019 ©D.C National Guard 

More Army news on D.C National Guard State partnership Program with Burkina Faso 

Expanded engagements in Burkina Faso, Promoting Prosperity and Growth

News from:  U.S Army Europe and Africa     U.S National Guard     U.S Embassy Jamaica

• News from US Naval Forces Europe-Africa           
• The U.S. Army Reserve’s 7th Mission Support Command
• News from U.S Air Force Europe-Africa                   
• News from The 7th Army Training 
• U.S Mission NATO U.S European Command         U.S Embassy Burkina Faso
• U.S Brussels Media Hub                   D.C National Guard
• U.S African Command                follow us:          @USEUWAffairs     

*Acknowledgment: the facts in the article are from District of Colombia National Guard, U.S Army. Image ©DoD/ Tech. Sgt. Arthur Mondale Wright. 

Established in 1993, the State Partnership Program (SPP) is the Department of Defense initiative that enables the National Guard of every U.S State to form a long term and mutual partnerships and a military to military engagements with a specific country across the globe. This partnership encompasses all areas of civil and military components, opening the pathway to robust engagements between the U.S Armed Forces and the military of the partner countries.  

Spanning nearly three decades of achievements and connectivity with the world, the SPP has materialized the valuable partnerships with one third of the world countries, building the most enduring international cooperation and bonds with over 89 nations in:

• Africa;
• Asia;
• Central Asia;
• Europe (Eastern, Western, Central, and the Baltic Region); 
• Western Hemisphere.

In the framework of the National Guard State Partnership Program this time we introduce Alabama National Guard. 

From community works like building schools, bridges, hospitals, combing the medical teams of covid-19 response in 2020, to international disaster training and readiness, Alabama National Guard has been strengthening its partnership with Romania since 1993.

Through the SPP, Alabama and Romani have achieved over 200 crucial engagements which benefited both sides of the Atlantic.

Members of the Alabama National Guard welcome a team of specialists from the Romanian Ministry of National Defense at Montgomery Aviation. May 25, 2020

©National Guard /1SG Sandra D. Lucas. 

More news on Defense cooperation: 

European multinational disaster response exercise Blonde Avalanche 2020

Romanian defense chief visits Alabama National Guard

News from:   U.S Army Europe and Africa              U.S National Guard         

 U.S Embassy Romania             US Naval Forces Europe-Africa           

• The U.S. Army Reserve’s 7th Mission Support Command
• News from U.S Air Force Europe-Africa                   
• News from The 7th Army Training 
• U.S Mission NATO               U.S European Command
• U.S Forces Japan                   U.S Brussels Media Hub

 follow us:          @USEUWAffairs    

Uncommon, paramount and brave, for centuries the U.S flag has been standing as the pillars of the Human Rights and Democracy……..transcending every political thought and the form of governments.                     

The U.S flag not only illustrates the red, white, and the blue blended with the splendorous stars, but above that it presents and magnifies the ideals of Freedom and Liberty on the world-dimensional setting. It is the unparalleled, first……. and the final aspirations of hope.

June 13, 2018 © U.S Army

News from:   U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria                      News from U.S Army Europe 

• News from US Naval Forces Europe-Africa           
• The U.S. Army Reserve’s 7th Mission Support Command
• News from U.S Air Force Europe-Africa                    News from The 7th Army Training 
• U.S Mission NATO                                    U.S European Command
• U.S Brussels Media Hub             U.S Forces Japan                      U.S Army Japan   
• The White House                                       Follow us @USEUWAffairs     

Defense Secretary Mattis met with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg at the Pentagon on March 21. The Two leaders discussed range of Defense and Security issues including, countering the emerging challenges, fighting with ISIS and strengthening the Transatlantic Relations.  

Washington DC, March 21, 2017 © US Mission to NATO

“But I just also want to say thanks to you personally for your leadership, for the moral example that you set.  NATO, under you, is evolving to defend against aggression and respond to terrorist threats along the southern flank in the Mediterranean and the Turkish border.  
I look forward to engaging with the coalition members who are here this week on the counter-ISIS fight.  And I’m confident that NATO will, as always, be one of the leaders as we deal with this threat.” Highlighted Defense Secretary Mattis during his meeting with the NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg at the Pentagon. March 21, 2017 © DoD Press Office

Emphasizing the importance of the Transatlantic Relations, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg during his meeting with the Defense Secretary Mattis expressed  : 

“Thank you so much. And thank you for welcoming me and my delegation. It’s great to be here in Washington, and to meet with you. And I also commend you for your strong personal support and leadership when it comes to NATO and the trans-Atlantic bond.”

“I think we all understand that in times of turmoil, in times of uncertainty, the need for strong international institutions as NATO is even greater.  So therefore, we need to adapt.  We need to strengthen NATO in response to the challenges and the — and the unpredictability we see surrounding us today.
Strong NATO  is, of course, good for Europe, and we are also grateful for the commitment of the United States to the security guarantees to Europe.  But strong NATO is also good for North America because stability in Europe is good for all of us.  Two world wars and the cold war have taught us all that peace and stability in Europe is important for Europe of course, but also for North America.
So I’m looking forward to go through the whole NATO and U.S. agenda, and discuss how we can continue to adapt NATO to a new and more demanding security” Pentagon,  March 21, 2017 © DoD Press Office

Defense Secretary Mattis, on the same day, met with  Defense Minister Niinisto of Finland at the Pentagon. 

“Minister, you’re very welcome here in the Pentagon.  We appreciate you taking your time to visit Washington and to meet here at the Pentagon — two democracies on opposite sides of an ocean, but we share a love of liberty and especially of independence.”

“Our democratic nations can collaborate in defense of our values.  And in this regard, I look forward to joining you later this week and discussing our coalition effort against ISIS.  And I thank you for your contributions — the contributions of your elite forces to that fight against ISIS, to the NATO missions that you’ve contributed to and continue to, and of course to the U.N. missions which go even beyond just the purely military.”  Stated Defense Secretary Mattis during his meeting with Defense Minister Niinisto and Ambassador Kauppi of Finalnd. Pentagon, March 21, 2017 © DoD Press Office

Excerpts from the remarks by Defense Minister Niinisto during the meeting with Secretary Mattis at Pentagon:

“Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for receiving our delegation.  Finland takes its defense very seriously, and we see ourselves as providers of security, not consumers.”

“And I must emphasize that U.S.-Finnish bilateral defense relationship is on a strong basis.  The signing of the bilateral statement of intent last October in Helsinki was a concrete step to take the relationship even further.
Active bilateral training and exercise program has been an effective way to increase the interoperability of our forces.  And we look forward to continue this cooperation also in the future.  And I also look forward to a good discussion today.” Pentagon,  March 21, 2017 © DoD Press Office

Defense Secretary Mattis also met with Minister of Defense Maria Dolores de Cospedal of Spain on March 23.                                                                                                                                                                                                             And with Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos at the Pentagon on March 24.

Addition: Vice President Pence Re-assured Europe the United States’ Commitment

• News from The White House                     
• News from Secretary General Stoltenberg                  News from U.S Mission to NATO
•  News from Department of Defense                                News from Department of State     

• News from Finland Mission to NATO                    News from Finland Armed-Forces
• News from Spain Armed-Forces
• News from Greece Mission to NATO               
• News from Hellenic Republic Armed Forces

Sources: U.S DoD Public Affairs/NATO Public Affairs                     Follow us: @USEUWAffairs