History

The State Partnership Program is a Defense Department security cooperation program managed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, executed by geographic commands, and sourced by the 54 states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

The SPP evolved from a 1991 U.S. European Command decision to set up the Joint Contact Team Program in the Baltic Region with Reserve component Soldiers and Airmen. A subsequent National Guard Bureau proposal paired U.S. states with three nations emerging from the former Soviet Bloc and the SPP was born, becoming a key U.S. security cooperation tool, facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs and encouraging people-to-people ties at the state level.

The program directly supports DOD objectives and theater campaign plans by building relationships that enhance global security, understanding, and cooperation. The program fosters long-term relationships across all levels of society and encourages the development of economic, political, and military ties between the states and partner nations.

State Partnership Program Articles

Lt. Col. Sarah Davis, clinical nurse assigned to the 158th Medical Group, Vermont Air National Guard, conducts training at the Vermont Air National Guard base, South Burlington, Vt., Nov. 7, 2020. In September, Vermont Guardsmen hosted a virtual trauma training with North Macedonia, its partner under the State Partnership Program.

Nov. 7, 2020

Training Must Go On: VT Guard Hosts Virtual Trauma Care Training with North Macedonia

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vermont — In an upstairs room at her home in New York, while her children and dogs are playing downstairs, Lt. Col. Sarah Davis, clinical nurse assigned to the 158th Medical Group, Vermont Air National Guard, sits down at her computer screen with pieces of training equipment nearby, hoping to avoid being interrupted. It was September 28, the first day of a three-day trauma nurse training, when she logged on to greet participants virtually - a new normal during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Sept. 3, 2020

Vermont Air National Guard Innovates, Completes First-Ever Virtual Workshop with African Nation

Vermont Air National Guard — Across the span of three days in July, the Vermont Air National Guard partnered with the Barnes Center for Enlisted Education at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Ala., to host the first-ever, entirely virtual engagement with any African Military Education Program school in Africa: a course on professional military education (PME) and continuing education for Senegalese Air Force instructors.

(U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Jason Alvarez)

March 30, 2020

North Macedonia joins NATO as its 30th member

COLCHESTER, Vermont — North Macedonia officially completed its accession into NATO as its 30th ally March 27, following the ratification of the alliance’s accession protocol by all 29 member nations and the conclusion of formal ceremonies at the U.S. Department of State. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed North Macedonia into the “NATO family” at a formal flag-raising event held in Brussels.

The official logo of the Vermont National Guard.

Vermont Partnerships

North Macedonia
Vermont as among the second group of states to join the State Partnership Program, establishing a partnership with the Republic of North Macedonia on July 14, 1993. Their partnership has included more than 350 military-to-military activities, including collaborative events in Europe and the United States, as well as a shared deployment to Afghanistan in 2010, marking the first time a National Guard unit deployed and served with a state partner.

Learn More
Senegal
The relationship between the Vermont National Guard and the Republic of Senegal was established in 2008. Numerous medical, engineer and aviation exercises have occurred during this partnership.

Learn More
Austria
Austria became Vermont's third state partner on Oct. 15, 2021, making Vermont the fifth National Guard with three state partners. The countries' military cooperation stretches back to 1983, with partnerships between the Army Mountain Warfare School, U.S. Army Biathlon Program, and 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) and their Austrian counterparts.

Learn More