Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Roberto Di Giovine | U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Van McCarty, the adjutant general for South Carolina, U.S. Army...... read more read more
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The South Carolina National Guard hosted the Colombian military’s Chief of Defense, Gen. Helder Giraldo and staff, February 28 to March 1 while hosting Colombian senior enlisted leaders in two State Partnership Program events.
The three-day visit by Gen. Giraldo and Colombian military officers was part of a State Partnership Program key leader engagement with the South Carolina National Guard. During the visit Guard senior leaders met with Giraldo to discuss National Guard and Colombia defense cooperation and provide briefings and updates on the command's efforts to strengthen the bilateral defense partnership.
Giraldo, and staff, visited the South Carolina Emergency Management Division for a disaster response briefing, as well as watched a demonstration from the 43rd Civil Support Team, meeting with command staff, touring the 169th Fighter Wing and Army National Guard maintenance facilities. The Colombian delegation also observed a group of Colombian soldiers participating in this year’s South Carolina Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition at the McCrady Training Site.
“General Giraldo observed South Carolina National Guard capabilities and was impressed with depth and breadth of those capabilities,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Dan Linkroum, State Partnership Program director. “He gained a better understanding of what the National Guard does to supplement the active-duty component and what our role is in support to domestic authorities.”
During their visit the senior enlisted leader cohort were able to participate in an NCO development seminar.
“Both sides walked away with a better understanding of each other’s enlisted development programs,” Linkroum said. “Following this event, we are sending three senior Noncommissioned Officers to Colombia to attend an enlisted leadership symposium.”
Since the South Carolina National Guard's partnership with the Republic of Colombia was launched in 2012, South Carolina has focused on establishing long-term relationships where Colombia and South Carolina can promote mutual interests and build lasting capabilities for both partners. The South Carolina National Guard focuses on several lines of effort including cyber, fixed-wing and rotary-wing maintenance, engineering as well as ground-vehicle maintenance and logistics. These lines of efforts all support United States Southern Command theater campaign plan.
In 2024 the South Carolina National Guard has completed six SPP engagements and another 40 scheduled.
In February the South Carolina Army National Guard loaned several 1,000-gallon helicopter water dispersal systems to combat wildfires raging outside of Bogota, Colombia.
The Department of Defense State Partnership Program is a cooperative military-to-military exchange administered by the National Guard Bureau. It facilitates cooperation between U.S. National Guard units and foreign allies. The program began in 1993 and has grown to include 100 nations.
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.07.2024 10:53 |
| Story ID: | 465563 |
| Location: | COLUMBIA, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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