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DENVER--The New York National Guard’s State Partnership Program relationship with Brazil’s military was named as one of two partnerships of the year for 2022 by the National Guard Bureau at an April 17-21 conference in Denver.
The Brazil-New York relationship was launched in 2019 and has become one of the most vibrant of the 100 State Partnership Programs maintained by the National Guard across the world, according to National Guard officials.
The winners were selected based on key leader and subject matter engagements, joint training events, and the capacity to include other government agencies.
Maj. Gen. Denise Donnell, the commander of the New York Air National Guard, led the New York National Guard delegation which accepted the award, along with Brazilian military officials.
Major Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, said the recognition was “ a great testament to the health and vitality of our partnership."
“Since 2019 our relationship has grown with the Brazilian Army and Air Force and especially with their space units,” Shields said.
“We are pleased to be partnered with the Brazilian Armed Forces and look forward to many years of continued collaboration and growth of our relationship as we forge interoperability between Brazil and the United States,” Shields said.
In 2022, New York conducted 28 events with Brazilian military leaders, according to Maj. Padraic Meehan, the Brazilian State Partnership coordinator.
The other winner was the relationship between the Pennsylvania National Guard and Lithuania. This was one of the first programs launched 30 years ago following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The first three partnerships were established in 1993 with the three newly independent Baltic states. The goal was for former Soviet military personnel to work with leaders and Soldiers and Airmen of a democracy to learn from their examples.
Since then, the program, which is overseen by the Department of Defense, has expanded to each of the 54 National Guard’s and to 100 partner countries.
New York got involved in 2003 by partnering with South Africa. The Brazil relationship has been especially dynamic, according to Maj. David Myones, the State Partnership Program Director.
“They are just an eager partner,” Myones said.
And, he emphasized, New York’s National Guard leadership is always willing to engage with the Brazilians.
“The Brazilian military is very advanced on multiple fronts,“ Myones said. “There are a lot of things we can learn from each other.”
Since the partnership kicked off, Brazil has hosted New York Soldiers and Airmen at their world-famous jungle warfare school. The New York Air National Guard has also participated in Exercise Tapio, a Brazilian Air Force search and rescue training exercise.
Brazilians have come to New York to learn about domestic response missions and how the New York National Guard works in New York City.
A particularly important part of the partnership has been the exchanges between New York National Guard and Brazilian specialists in cyber and space operations, Meehan said.
The New York Air National Guard’s 222nd Command and Control Squadron, which works with the agency which controls U.S.reconnaissance satellites, is a good partner for Brazil’s space operations community, Meehan said.
The New York Army Guard’s cybersecurity experts are also partners that Brazil has sought out, Meehan said.
The Brazilians were a bit skeptical at first about what they could learn from the New York National Guard, Meehan said.
“But they have been pleasantly surprised by the professionalism and capabilities the New York National Guard brings,” Meehan said.
The Brazilian partnerships success demonstrates that the National Guard can play a tremendous role in advancing U.S. interests in South America, Myones said.
Southern Command, which is responsible for South America, does not have dedicated forces, so they appreciate New York’s ability to participate with Airmen and Soldiers in Brazilian exercises, Myones said.
Along with New York Air National Guard participation in the annual Tapio exercise this summer, the New York Army National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team will be part of Southern Vanguard 2023 with the 82nd Airborne Division.
“We are a willing and eager state,” Myones said. “It is kind of a perfect story to drive the State Partnership Program forward.”
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.28.2023 08:34 |
| Story ID: | 443420 |
| Location: | DENVER , CO, US |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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