Guard Program Links Global Partnership to DOW Priorities

Aug. 28, 2026 | By National Guard Bureau |

Senior leaders and security cooperation personnel from across the War Department gathered for the 2026 National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program conference in Atlanta, Aug. 13. 

The goal of the annual conference was to align activities and engagements with National Defense Strategy Lines of Effort, administration arms transfer reform objectives and rigorous data-driven evaluation to prove return on investment for the American taxpayer. 

In addition to DOW, the event included speakers from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Defense Security Cooperation University and the National Guard Bureau's International Affairs Directorate, including the assessment, monitoring and evaluation, foreign disclosure and integration teams. 

Throughout the event, speakers tied ongoing SPP achievements to the four NDS LOEs: defend the Homeland; deter China in the Pacific region through strength, not confrontation; increase burden-sharing with U.S. allies and partners; and supercharge the U.S. defense industrial base. 

Keynote speaker Christopher Mamaux, deputy assistant secretary of war for security cooperation, highlighted the program's critical role in operationalizing national security objectives. 

"As we look to the future, we must transition our partnerships from a default of security dependence to operational independence," Mamaux said. "We want to focus our energy on developing model allies, partners who are willing to spend on their own defense and contribute meaningfully to regional security." 

Mamaux emphasized the asymmetric advantage built over decades of state-level engagement. "With 117 partner nations, we have built a network of trust over decades that our strategic competitors cannot hope to replicate," he said. 

David Ferrari, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency advisor to the director, focused on the intersection of the SPP and the defense industrial ecosystem under Executive Order 14383, the America First Arms Transfer Strategy. Ferrari characterized guard personnel in the field as an "early-warning system" for foreign military sales requirements.   

"This is exactly where the SPP's persistent engagement is a strategic enabler, as you are in these countries year after year and can help partners identify what they need before they submit a request," he said, noting that this operational alignment creates a reinforcing cycle between procurement and capability development. 

"As we improve FMS processes to help partners buy more U.S. equipment, we are directly scaling the arena for SPP activities," Ferrari said. 

He concluded with a direct call to action for guard leaders to leverage partner investment to strengthen mutual readiness. 

"As you conduct your persistent engagements this year, look at your partners through the lens of [the America First Arms Transfer Strategy]," he said. "Help us identify where partner capital can invest in mutual capacity, and help us transition them to modern, standard U.S. systems. We cannot reindustrialize the arsenal of freedom without the guard leading the way on the ground." 

Regarding workforce development, Sonya Finley, the dean of workforce education and development at the Defense Security Cooperation University, outlined key milestones in the professionalization of security cooperation. 

Under DSCU, the SPP has been officially designated as a distinct functional area within the War Department's Security Cooperation Workforce Certification 2.0 Program — a major step toward codifying and standardizing global partnership management across the joint force. 

Conference sessions also underscored the importance of maintaining high-quality data processes. Recent policy guidance has institutionalized assessment, monitoring and evaluation as a mandatory mechanism to measure performance, demonstrate accountability and justify resourcing for SPP activities. 

Mamaux reinforced that strategic alignment applies directly to resource stewardship.  

"We must prove that our resources are aligned with the NDS lines of effort and provide a very clear return on our investment," he said. "Every dollar you spend across the program must be logical, transparent and benefit the American people." 

Presenters highlighted real-world examples of guard activities that have delivered strategic outcomes. In one instance, military planners maximized space on existing training transport to deliver equipment to Albania, achieving a critical delivery while eliminating commercial transportation costs. 

In another example of interstate collaboration, when Bulgaria's state partner, the Tennessee National Guard, identified a requirement for Stryker platforms outside its force structure, it coordinated with the Washington National Guard to fill the gap seamlessly. 

Regarding the program's future expansion, Mamaux noted that growth will remain deliberate and value driven.  

"Under our current strategic policy, we anticipate accepting only two to three new partnerships per year," he said. "Every pairing must offer a clear benefit to United States national security interests and align with the NDS."

Minnesota National Guard, Croatia Celebrate 30 Years of Partnership

July 20, 2026 | By Army Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh, Minnesota National Guard |

Minnesota and Croatia celebrated the 30th anniversary of their partnership through the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program during Exercise Combat Power 26, near Slunj, Croatia, June 29. 
 
"This partnership is best measured not only in years, exercises or official milestones, but in people," said Nicole McGraw, U.S. ambassador to Croatia. "It is measured in Croatian and American soldiers who have trained together, learned from one another and form a kind of trust that only comes from serving side by side."

The SPP joins a U.S. state with a NATO-allied nation to strengthen military capabilities, enhance interoperability and foster long-term institutional relationships. The celebration came just days after the 35th anniversary of Croatian independence, June 25. 
 
Over the years, members of the Minnesota National Guard and Croatian Armed Forces served together in Afghanistan, trained alongside one another in Minnesota and Croatia and exchanged expertise in areas including cyber defense, medical capabilities, explosive ordnance disposal, water purification and military modernization. 

Thirty years later, Exercise Combat Power 26 provided another opportunity for the two forces to train together. 
 
"This exercise is more than a training event," said Lt. Gen. Tihomir Kundid, chief of the general staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, during the ceremony's opening remarks. "It is a good opportunity to exchange knowledge, share experiences and build professional relationships. Armed forces readiness has never been more important than today."

After the ceremony, the smell of grilled steaks filled the air at the Eugen Kvaternik Military Training Area as Minnesota volunteers served dinner to U.S., Croatian and allied service members participating in the exercise. 
 
"This gave me the chance to support and recognize this long-standing partnership between the Croatian Armed Forces and the Minnesota National Guard," said retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Wortham. "It was an awesome opportunity to share this taste of home with the service members and see NATO allies break bread together after a long day supporting Combat Power 26. 
 
Serving Our Troops, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization, traveled to Croatia to prepare and serve 1,000 steaks as service members and leaders commemorated the 30th anniversary of the partnership between the Minnesota National Guard and the Croatian Armed Forces. 

"A good meal may seem simple, but for those who serve, and for those families who support them, it can mean a great deal," McGraw said. "Tonight's dinner is a reminder that service is not only honored in ceremonies. It is honored in acts of gratitude, in communities that remember and in citizens that take the time to say thank you." 
 
For many of the Minnesota National Guard soldiers participating in the exercise, it marked their first time training in Croatia. For others, it continued the relationships built over years of exchanges and shared missions.

Army Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, said the trust built during exercises like Combat Power 26 can develop into relationships that last well after the training ends. 
 
"Over the last 30 years, we have built true friendship and trust," Manke said. "The trust that you built during this exercise is a seed that will flourish and bloom years down the road."