Photo By Lt. Col. Kevin Hynes | Since July 14, 1993, non-commissioned officers and enlisted Airmen and Soldiers from...... read more read more
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“The State Partnership Program was built upon relationships and trust. When (your partners) know you and trust you, the possibilities are endless.”
That’s how Maj. Gen. John F. Nichols, Texas National Guard adjutant general, describes the unique relationship developed between the Czech Republic and the Texas and Nebraska National Guard over the past 25 years through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. So unique, in fact, that even though the relationship forged on July 14, 1993, is one of the oldest in the program, it continues to be the only effort involving one nation and two states.
“I like to think that we’re one of the strongest in Europe,” Nichols said recently. “In a lot of ways, the events and activities that we are doing in Nebraska and Texas with our partners in the Czech military are leading the way.”
If the bedrock of the partnership between Nebraska, Texas and the Czech Republic is relationships and trust, then this partnership took another major step forward, Oct. 25-29, when a contingent of Nebraska and Texas National Guard Soldiers and Airmen traveled to the Czech Republic to participate in the Czechs’ observance of their 100th year of independence. The anniversary traces back to Oct. 28, 1918, when the first independent Czechoslovak state was founded from territories that were previously part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The resulting state – Czechoslovakia – was founded based upon U.S. President Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points, especially the principle of self-determination.
Although Czechoslovakia no longer exists today, the Czech people continue to view Oct. 28 as the day of their national founding.
The Nebraska and Texas contingent were the invited guests of the Czech Republic Military, with an additional invitation sent for the states to form a combined color guard for the Czech military parade, held Sunday, Oct. 29, in Prague.
“It speaks to the depth of the relationship that we have with the Czechs through the State Partnership Program,” said Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, Nebraska National Guard adjutant general. “The fact that this is the 25th anniversary of our SPP relationship, I just thought it was important that we come here and represent the United States during an event of significant importance to our friends and ally.”
“Further, the fact that they invited us to be here speaks to the value that they place on this relationship,” Bohac added.
The State Partnership Program was first established following the end of the Cold War when many nations of Eastern and Central Europe were emerging from decades of Soviet control and indoctrination. The new National Guard-sponsored program matched state National Guard organizations with these new democratic countries based upon a number of factors, including cultural, economic and geographic similarities.
Nebraska and Texas, which have significant amount of citizens claiming Czech heritage in the United States along with somewhat similar economies, were matched with the Czech Republic. Texas has the largest number of Czech descendants in the United States while Nebraska has the largest of percentage per capita of people claiming Czech backgrounds.
Initially, the states’ partnership efforts concentrated on assisting the Czech military prepare for membership into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization by helping it better understand how military organizations work within democratic institutions, how to shift away from a conscript military to one made up of volunteers, and how to operate within western military tactics, equipment and doctrines.
Since then, the relationship between the three entitities has matured extensively, with dozens of military exchanges now taking place both within the Czech Republic or Texas and Nebraska annually. Further, the relationship has shifted to one in which the three partners now work collaboratively to help each other build newer and stronger capacities. Those efforts have borne significant fruit, especially noticeable in the Czechs’ continued support of NATO efforts within Europe and during current deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt and Mali.
“This is no longer about mentoring the Czech military, because they’re there,” said Maj. Mark White, Texas Army National Guard.
For three years beginning in August 2014, White served as a full-time National Guard bilateral affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Prague where he helped develop and implement engagements between the Czech military and the Nebraska and Texas National Guard. He said the Czechs’ experiences, particularly those gained during overseas deployments, have made them a full partner within NATO and the State Partnership Program.
“They are now at the point where we’re learning just as much from them as they are from us each and every time we get together,” White said. “Through their willingness to deploy, they’ve gained a level of experience in operating in different environments that they now share with us through their own lens and history.”
According to Bohac, Texas and Nebraska’s work with their counterparts from the Czech Republic for a quarter of the nation’s 100 years of independence is an incredible testament to the staying power of their combined State Partnership Program efforts.
“Think about the era of the Czechs’ history that this 25 years represents,” Bohac said. “They were just emerging from decades of Soviet control, they were still a conscript military and they were just beginning to experiment with democratic government and this idea that they had a right to national self determination.”
“It feels good to know that we have had a small role in helping them get from where they were to where they are today,” he said. “(By inviting) us to come here and share this special moment with them, I think that is an indication that they, too, recognize the roles we took in helping them get to where they are today.”
The Czech centennial celebration was a weekend-long series of ceremonial events in the Czech capitol. Along with a number of military and governmental ceremonies, there were also numerous family-oriented events throughout the city, including military ceremonies at Prague Castle, festivals in front of the Rudolfinum concert hall, a free open air concert in the city’s “Old Town Square” and other activities in the historic Wenceslaus Square. The events attracted tens of thousands of spectators to Prague’s numerous historical landmarks and public venues.
Possibly the biggest event of the weekend was a massive Czech military and emergency response parade organized primarily by members of the Czech Defense Ministry. This event, held under gray, drizzly skies on an Oct. 29 afternoon, consisted of nearly 5,000 people marching in formations, driving numerous military or emergency response vehicles, or flying aircraft overhead. Among the nations represented during the Czech military parade were color guards from Slovakia, Great Britain, France, Italy and the United States.
The United States team consisted of six Soldiers and Airmen from the Nebraska and Texas National Guard, split evenly between the two states.
Also on hand representing the United States was U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis, who flew into Prague earlier in the day for the celebration, as well as Nichols and Bohac, who served as the senior U.S. military officers at the parade.
“It was just such a great demonstration of the Czech capacity, both militarily as well as within their emergency response realms,” Bohac said later. “Also, the massive amount of planning and coordination that went into putting this event together was really impressive.”
Yet, despite is size and complexity, the warmth extended by the Czechs to their partners from the American Midwest was unmistakable, both generals said.
“I felt like I was among friends at a family gathering rather than a visitor at someone else’s event,” Nichols said. “They were just incredibly gracious hosts. You definitely felt like you were among friends rather than simply military acquaintences.”
“In a lot of ways, that’s what this relationship has become.”
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2018 12:59 |
| Story ID: | 298983 |
| Location: | PRAGUE, CZ |
| Web Views: | 287 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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