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
 State Partnership Program: Maryland Soldiers gain new perspectives through unique opportunities By Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Darron Salzer
                National Guard Bureau
 FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - Scattered throughout the densely wooded and rocky hills of the National Guard training center here, infantry Soldiers - with cammo faces and full "battle rattle" - from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 175th Infantry Regiment, began their four day field training exercise as part of annual training June 9. Embedded among these Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers were members of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, made possible through the state partnership that the Maryland National Guard has with the country of Bosnia-Herzegovina. "It's been great having them attached to our company," said Army 1st Lt. David Brown, acting company commander, C Company, 1st Battalion., 175th Infantry Regiment. "They have been fully integrated into the company ... and they have been shadowing their counterparts here as well." "We're also incorporating them into our platoons and squads as we conduct our field training exercise," Brown said, "which is a four day, three night exercise that we're conducting during annual training this year." According to the Charlie Company first sergeant, Army 1st Sgt. Christopher Timson, the four day exercise includes training in tactical platoon movements, neutralizing mock high-value targets, and acquiring assets of value. "The counterparts of ours from Bosnia-Herzegovina have been instrumental in helping our leaders work on operation orders and lead the platoons throughout the training," Timson said. Brown said he felt that the partnership Maryland has with Bosnia-Herzegovina through the National Guard's State Partnership Program, was a great opportunity for his Soldiers to learn about intercultural relations and how similarly foreign militaries operate. "Despite the diversity we have in the U.S., we don't always get to interact with people from another country," he said, "so I think it's been a great opportunity for our guys ... because the way the Bosnians operate is not much different, and it's good to see that around the world a lot of the basic infantry skills are similar." "I personally think that the more interactions we can get with other countries' soldiers, the more it opens up our Soldiers' minds to the outside world," he said. One unique interaction these infantry Soldiers had was with Lt. Kristijan Pantic, a combat veteran infantry officer from the AFBiH shadowing Army 2nd Lt. Abram Gordon, rifle platoon leader with C Co., 1-175th. "It was interesting when we heard the there would be a female infantry officer shadowing our platoon, and after interacting with her it has been a lot more than I expected," Gordon said. "I've learned a lot from her, about tactics and about being a leader," he said "She is an infantry officer and she is leading soldiers, regardless of gender." Gordon said in addition to learning new perspectives on how Pantic leads a platoon, he has also learned how Bosnia-Herzegovina infantry soldiers operated in Afghanistan. "She's given me some great tactical advice on squad tactics," he said. "She helps critique my movements and offer ways to do things better, and it all made sense. She is very competent in her skillset and is very capable in leading soldiers, and that's all that matters in a leader." Gordon said Pantic was one of the first female soldiers in her country to join the infantry. "She told me that she was actually one of the first females in her country to be allowed into the infantry there," he said. "She's adapted to her role as an infantry officer very well, and she has shown that she is more than capable of her role as an infantry officer." Gordon said he's always been an advocate of the diverse learning gained through exchanges in the SPP "We learn things from our allies through the State Partnership Program that we don't often have an opportunity to learn here because they deal with conflict on a more regular basis, such as in the Balkans and Eastern Europe," Gordon said. "SPP allows officers and [noncommissioned officers] from each partnership to learn different skills and then adapt them to meet changing needs and requirements." Words echoed at the top by Brown and Timson. "I think the State Partnership Program is a strength of the Guard and I think it's great being able to work with countries from around the world on a regular basis," Brown said. "It lets our Soldiers, and theirs, gain different perspectives on certain things," Timson agreed, "and when you can see both sides of the coin, it helps you become a better Soldier and a better leader." "It's nice to see how different countries do they same thing that we do, and how we can learn from one another to do things better," he said.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 More on the State Partnership Program
 
 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