The State Partnership Program (SPP) is an innovative joint security cooperation program, managed by the National Guard Bureau, executed by the State Adjutant Generals in support of Combatant Commanders’ security cooperation objectives under the authorities provided by the Department of Defense and Congress.
SPP promotes long-term, enduring and mutually beneficial security relationships with friendly and allied nations around the globe. SPP matches a National Guard state with a foreign partner country to exchange military skills and experience, share defense knowledge, and enhance partnership capacity and further mutual security cooperation.
SPP began in 1993 with the establishment of security partnerships between the National Guard states of Maryland, Michigan, and Pennsylvania with three Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in coordination with US European Command and has grown to over 65 partnerships today in all corners of the globe.
Massachusetts’s partnership with Paraguay was established in 2001 with over 90 engagements conducted since inception. The engagements with Paraguay have covered a wide spectrum of topics summarized below:
- Leadership and Professional Development
- NCO Development
- Professional Military Education
- Officer Development
- Battle Staff
- Military Decision Making Process
- Defense Support to Civil Authorities
- Emergency Management
- Crisis Response
- Disaster Preparedness
- Air Force Modernization
- (Fixed and Rotary Wing) Exchanges
- Tactical Air Operations
- Air Maintenance
- Aviation Logistics
- Aviation Disaster Management
- Aviation Flight Safety
- Avionics and Electronics
- Hydraulics
- Water Bucket/Forrest Firefighting Operations
- Aviation Enterprise Development
- Public Affairs/Information Management
- Civilian Leadership of Military Forces
- Riot Control
- Infantry Tactics
- Engineering (construction, combat)
- Vehicle Maintenance
- Heavy Equipment Maintenance
- Medical
- General Internal
- Burn Specialists
- Dental
- Immunization
- Peace Keeping Operations
- Military Police Security Operations
- Foreign Disaster Response / Humanitarian Assistance
- Mobilization Soldier Support and Readiness
- Family Programs
- Re-integration
- Resiliency
- Chaplain Support
- Special Forces Exchanges
- Cultural and Language Immersion Program support