MilitarySpot.com

Serving the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard

Follow MilitarySpot:
 
  • Home
  • Enlist
    • Join The Army
    • Join The Navy
    • Join The Air Force
    • Join The Marines
    • Join The Coast Guard
    • Join The National Guard
    • ASVAB
    • Army Physical Fitness Test
    • Military Draft
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
  • Career
    • Join the Military
    • Jobs for Military and Civilians
    • Career Center
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
    • Criminal Justice
  • Education
    • Online Schools
    • Spouse Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • Military Schools
    • Criminal Justice
  • Benefits
    • Army Benefits
    • Navy Benefits
    • Air Force Benefits
    • Marine Corps Benefits
    • National Guard Benefits
    • Coast Guard Benefits
    • Veteran Benefits
    • Basic Pay Rates
    • Allowances
    • Special & Incentive Pay
    • Military Spouse Education Benefits
    • VA Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
  • News
    • Headline News
  • Finance
    • Debt Relief
    • Military Pay Rates
    • Military Personal Loans
    • VA Loans
    • Military Star Card
    • Military MyPay
  • Spouses
    • School Finder
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • PCS, DITY, & Moving
    • Pay Rates
    • MyCAA
    • Education Benefits
  • Community
    • Military Games
    • Military Reunions
    • Classifieds
    • Photo Gallery
    • Buddy Finder
    • MilitarySpot Pinups
    • Military Bases
  • Resources
    • Military Alphabet
    • Military Reunions
    • Military Acronyms
    • Currency Converter
    • Military Tools
    • Ranks
    • Military Time
    • Military Tactics
    • Military Discounts
    • Military Games
    • Military Videos
    • Photo Gallery
    • Infographics
    • How To
  • Travel

Partnership Program Enables Peace Through Strength

JUNE 30, 2025 – For more than 30 years, the National Guard has helped bolster the capabilities of foreign militaries, effectively broadening the pool of partners who are willing and able to support defense and security cooperation objectives across the globe.

Now, lawmakers are assessing how to strategically expand the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program and its role in enhancing regional stability. The Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held a hearing at the U.S. Capitol June 25 to discuss the value of the SPP and how the program can further enhance global peace.

“The State Partnership Program embodies a cost-effective and collaborative approach to ‘Peace through Strength,’” said Army Maj. Gen. William Edwards, director for the National Guard Bureau’s Strategic Plans and Policy, and International Affairs directorate. “It improves security capabilities of our partners and the readiness of our units.”

The bipartisan panel, led by subcommittee chairman U.S. Rep. William Timmons, also heard testimony from Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Partnerships Christopher Mamaux and Army Maj. Gen. Robin Stilwell, adjutant general of the South Carolina National Guard, on the program with direct ties to the Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance by increasing the ability for partner nations to fight or deter adversaries—either in lieu of U.S. forces or alongside them.

“The SPP directly contributes to the objective of ensuring partners can shoulder their share of the burden in our collective defense,” Mamaux said. “Today, the SPP boasts a network of 115 partner nations strategically aligned with the National Guard’s presence in all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.

“Working hand-in-hand with the State Department and geographic combatant commands, this extensive reach makes the SPP a critical component of the United States National Security Framework.”

The SPP is authorized by Congress and codified in law to support the security cooperation objectives of the United States. The program supports the combatant commands’ theater security cooperation strategies and the U.S. State Department’s integrated strategic plan for the partner nations.

Timmons called the SPP one of DoD’s most effective, yet often overlooked, tools of influence.

“From Eastern Europe to the islands in the South Pacific, the State Partnership Program has helped the United States deter our adversaries, enhance allied interoperability and promote regional stability,” Timmons said.

“Currently, the SPP’s budget is just 1% of the overall defense security cooperation budget, but accounts for almost 30% of all geographic combatant command engagements with partners and allies,” Timmons said. “It is my hope that this hearing will bring to light the need for enhanced funding for the State Partnership Program and the vital mission it supports.”

Mamaux indicated a key element of the program’s continued success is allocating resources to optimize and develop the most beneficial partnerships and to facilitate the development of lethal capabilities to defend the homeland and deter China.

“Deepening existing relationships and prioritizing partnerships aligned with key U.S. strategic objectives, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, is a crucial step to ensuring the SPP continues to deliver maximum value for the taxpayer,” Mamaux said. “While the success and value of the SPP is evident, it is paramount to ensure its alignment with the president’s America First agenda—that every dollar we spend makes the American people safer, stronger and more prosperous.”

Each partnership synchronizes strategic objectives between the state, the partner nation, the geographic command and the DoD to balance program activities and ensure a unified effort.

“The State Partnership Program gives us flexibility and adaptability,” Mamaux said. “These partnerships extend beyond traditional military training, encompassing disaster response, borders security and cyber defense.”

Currently, the National Guard averages more than 1,000 engagements with SPP nations annually. Engagements include training exercises, bilateral staff talks and subject matter expert exchanges designed to build partner capacity, interoperability and trust.

“Through face-to-face engagements and cooperative training, the State Partnership Program cultivates essential relationships with our partner nations,” Edwards said. “It improves interoperability and facilitates a shared responsibility to shoulder the regional security burdens of today’s global environment.”

By Maj. Jon LaDue
National Guard Bureau

Comments

Filed Under: National Guard, News

  • News
  • Enlist
  • Education
  • Career
  • Finance

Soldiers Learn from Australian Counterparts

JULY 28, 2025 – The 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) is participating in Talisman Sabre for the first time, integrating with joint and combined partners to support sustainment operations across a vast geographic area. Talisman Sabre 25 is the largest bilateral military exercise between the United States and Australia. The exercise, held from July 13 to […]

Air National Guard Unveils New Bonus Program

MARCH 11, 2023 – On March 1st, the Air National Guard (ANG) launched a new bonus program to attract and retain personnel in critical specialties. The initiative offers significant financial rewards, with bonuses of up to $90,000 for eligible members, depending on their Air Force Specialty Codes (AFSCs). This strategic move aims to strengthen the […]

Education Benefits Make Stronger Service Members

APRIL 3, 2025 – Within the armed forces, a variety of educational benefits are available that allow service members to both improve themselves and make themselves more valuable to their service branch. One example is the Military Tuition Assistance Program. The program is available to enlisted personnel, officers and warrant officers in the Army, Navy, […]

Former Soldier Navigates Job Hunt

NOVEMBER 19, 2024 — In early 2017, Michael Quinn endured what he called the worst day in the worst year of his life. Quinn, then a sergeant major and 24-year Army Soldier, had weathered deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. As an Army counter-intelligence agent, he said he learned to operate under grave circumstances […]

Financial Planning for Military Families

JUNE 25, 2025 – Have you ever wondered how military families manage their finances while dealing with deployments, relocations, and changing pay structures? Financial planning is a vital part of life for families who serve. With unique benefits, challenges, and lifestyle changes, military families must make smart financial decisions that protect their future and help […]

Recent Posts

  • Soldiers Learn from Australian Counterparts
  • Guard Helicopter Rescues Hikers at 14,200 Feet
  • Space Force Schedules Eighth X-37B Mission
  • Army Adds More Patriot Battalions
  • Nutrition Helps with Emotional Well-Being
MAINMENU



Powered by pixfuture


SITESEARCH
Can't find something? Try using our site search to dig through our entire site.



Still having trouble? Try the Advanced Search to refine your searches.
NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE
Sign Up To Receive Information, Updates and Special Officers from MilitarySpot.com.



Don't miss an issue! Jump in the Newsletter Archives to catch up on previous issues.
FOLLOWMILITARY SPOT

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & StumbleUpon and more. Keep up with MilitarySpot.com news & updates. We also have an RSS Feed.

Advertise | About | Contact | Feedback | Unsubscribe | DMCA | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
 
Copyright 2004-2025 Sun Key Publishing. All Rights Reserved.



 
This is not the official recruiting website of the U.S. Military. The site you are on is run by Sun Key Publishing, a private company, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the U.S. Military.