Talk with senior leaders — some of the National Guard's most passionate advocates — and they'll tell you something about the Defense Department's National Guard State Partnership Program that will likely surprise you.
It's not a National Guard program.
"This is a Department of Defense program," said Army Maj. Gen. William Zana, the National Guard Bureau's strategic plans and policy and international affairs director. "It's best when you're looking at the SPP to understand the different roles of the stakeholders."
The DOD program is closely coordinated with the geographic combatant commands; the State Department; the U.S. embassies and their chiefs of mission; each partner nation; and the National Guard in the partner state, territory or District of Columbia.
"The National Guard Bureau administers, resources, and serves as the integrator of the program," Zana said. "So, there are a lot of stakeholders, and — from my perspective — that's a feature, not a bug because everyone has a shared interest in the success of the program in establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships."
"It truly is a team sport."
A potential partner nation first has to be aware of and learn about the SPP, then submit a formal request to that nation's U.S. ambassador, who coordinates with the relevant U.S. geographic combatant command whose area of responsibility the nation falls into.
Assuming all that goes well, the request is sent to the secretary of defense and then to the National...
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