In a mostly virtual gathering, National Guard members and security cooperation leaders convened earlier this month for a Defense Department National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program conference to discuss the program's enduring importance in today's complex environment.
With more than 250 attendees from around the globe, and approximately 40 attending in person, the Aug. 5-6 conference underscored that the SPP is a vital tool for strengthening global alliances, enhancing collective defense and reestablishing deterrence.
Through the program, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals while also leveraging whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements that span military, government, economic and social spheres.
Christopher Mamaux, deputy assistant defense secretary for global partnerships, emphasized the SPP's role in developing partnerships critical to U.S. national security. The SPP, he said, is uniquely positioned to help partners "shoulder the burden of collective defense."
The SPP pairs a U.S. state or territory's National Guard with a partner nation's military forces, security forces or government organization, to foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
This "elegant design has proven remarkably resilient and adaptable," Mamaux said, noting that the program is directly contributing to overarching national objectives.
The goal, he said, is to ensure the SPP remains a uniquely positioned tool to advance national security interests, as an integral part of the broader Defense Department security cooperation enterprise.
Since its inception, Mamaux said the SPP has "surpassed expectations," leading to co-deployments, joint exercises and key leader exchanges. The program remains a powerful demonstration of the depth of U.S.-partner nation relationships and a shared commitment to global security. In future years, the National Guard plans to grow the program modestly, with a particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
Mamaux said the SPP represents a significant return on investment for DOD and also demonstrates its value by advancing the most current department priorities.
"We are transforming the DOD, prioritizing lethality while reviving the warrior ethos to remain a combat credible force around the world," he said. "We simply cannot do it alone."
Conference attendees also heard from Mary Beth Morgan, deputy director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Morgan echoed Mamaux's sentiments, emphasizing the significant role played by the National Guard and the SPP.
The long-term relationships forged through the SPP, Morgan said, are vital for maintaining influence and deterring aggression around the world.
"It's your relationships within the SPP and your partners that provide long-term access and influence to those allies and partners," she said.
DSCA's mission advances U.S. defense and foreign policy interests by building the capacity of foreign partners to respond to shared challenges and to provide allies and partners with the enhanced abilities needed to shoulder mutual defense responsibilities.
"It's a long-term investment in our partnerships," Morgan said, adding that the SPP is vital to ensuring investments are matched with appropriate institutional capacity-building efforts.
The goals of the SPP, she said, are firmly aligned with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's priority of restoring the warrior ethos.
"Investing in partner readiness is an investment in the American warfighter," she said.
Both Mamaux and Morgan recognize the importance of expanding the program selectively, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
That effort will showcase the National Guard's ability to support international partners through joint exercises, with an emphasis on critical areas such as military professional development, building partner capacity, cybersecurity, and joint preparedness for disaster and emergency response.
Robert Riley, the National Guard Bureau's foreign policy advisor, also presented at the conference and shared his extensive experience with the SPP as a career diplomat. He noted the program's popularity and effectiveness, saying that wherever he travels, national and foreign leaders consistently ask about the SPP.
Army Maj. Gen. William Edwards, director of strategy, policy, plans and international affairs for the National Guard Bureau, emphasized the importance of data-driven solutions, predictable and consistent funding, as well as the strategic alignment of the SPP with the 2025 Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance during his address.