Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Texas-Chile partnership improved through emergency preparedness By Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Griego
                Texas Military Forces
 ROUND ROCK, Texas - Established more than 20 years ago, the National Guard's State Partnership Program (SPP) pairs each state with a foreign ally's military forces to share experiences, training opportunities and best practices throughout the spectrum of operations. Since 2008, the Texas Guard and Chile have shared such a relationship, which most recently included a July 24 tour of the Joint Task Force 71 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade) armory in Round Rock, Texas. "We were honored to have some of their leadership take time to include us in their visit to Texas," said Army Col. Lee Schnell, commander for JTF-71 (MEB). The group, which included three senior Chilean army officers and a navy captain, toured the Round Rock Armed Forces Reserve Center in order to learn about and discuss the role our National Guard plays in emergency response. "It's always a good thing to be here in Texas," said Chilean Navy Captain Francisco Abrego, who serves as a member of the Chilean Joint Staff for North America and Asia. "It's very important because we are still improving our capabilities in supporting the civilians and all the aid they need after a natural disaster, like the earthquake we had in 2010. You have got a very good organization here that we can take ideas and equipment you use to improve our system." Building relationships was the focus point of the tour, as the discussion frequently returned to the importance of interagency cooperation in the fight to save lives when disaster strikes. "The big take away from this is that it is all about relationships," said Schnell. "I think this was demonstrated during our meeting by having one of our civilian first responders at the table giving his perspective on the Homeland Response Force mission." Chief Warren Weidler, the Austin Fire Department battalion chief in charge of special operations, joined the tour to offer his perspective as a civilian first responder and reinforce the importance of early outreach. "All emergencies are local," said Weidler. "So the people that are affected are the local people. It is important that we have established these relationships prior to the emergency, and that we're very good at working with these people. Establish your relationships before you need them." The United States' approach to disaster response comes after two decades of engaging natural and man-made incidents, from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing to Hurricane Sandy last year. These response efforts dramatically influenced how the military interacts with civil agencies to save the lives of Americans. "The U.S. National Guard's relationship with civilian first responders is somewhat unique to other countries' military forces," said Schnell. "Especially the fact that when we arrive to an incident, the civilians are totally in charge of the response and we are in a support role. Sharing this with our partners in Chile gives them a different perspective on emergency response." This was an important discussion point for our South American partners as they work to refine their own disaster management plans. "The good thing you have got is the interagency system you use because in our country it's very complicated to talk with other agencies," said Abrego. "Everybody wants to be the boss. You organize that thing and you've got a first responder that's going to be in charge of it so you know how to deal with other agencies. That's the thing we have to teach the other agencies in Chile." Throughout the visit, members of JTF-71 (MEB)'s consequence management units, such as the 6th Chemical, Biological, Nuclear, and High-Yield Explosives Enhanced Response Force Package, demonstrated their decontamination techniques, specialized equipment capabilities and basic procedures of how to engage an incident. "We got to have a face to face with the Chileans and really talk," said Army Staff Sgt. Jon Garcia, the operations noncommissioned officer for the 6th CERFP. "They got to see what we have to offer our citizens and they took back a lot of knowledge about how we do [emergency response]. Maybe one day we'll go see what they have." As this international partnership builds, both military forces depart the experience with the confidence that their primary mission is to save lives when called upon. "At the end of the day, like you all, we are supporters of the first responders," said Abrego, "and we have got the capabilities because we have got people to support the major issues."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 7 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 15 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 15 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil