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
 COMMENTARY: Georgia Guard works with Georgia nation By Maj. Gen. William T. Nesbitt, U.S. Army
                The Adjutant General, Georgia National Guard
 MARIETTA, Ga. - The nation of Georgia is perhaps best known (if it is known at all) by those in the state of Georgia for its 2008 military conflict with Russia in South Ossetia or from the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, when Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was tragically killed during a training run hours before the opening ceremony. And while Tbilisi and Atlanta may be worlds apart, literally and figuratively, Citizen-Soldiers of both Georgia capitals have been working together for a decade and a half in a bilateral, military-to-military contact program known as the State Partnership Program. The National Guard State Partnership Program was established in 1993 in response to the radically changed political-military situation following the collapse of communism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The SPP was established to engage the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and is now a key security cooperation tool - facilitating interaction in all aspects of civil-military cooperation in that area. The Georgia National Guard has maintained a strong State Partnership program with the country of Georgia since 1995 - a program which has helped position the state of Georgia as the home of the second-largest diaspora of Georgians outside the country of Georgia. Many National Guard members are also active in the Atlanta-Tbilisi Sister City Committee, which contributes to building relationships between our state and their nation. Through the SPP, the State of Georgia benefits by being able to play a role in overall U.S. security assistance and foreign policy initiatives. The state's employers also benefit from the extensive experience their Guard employees procure while working with the country of Georgia on a variety of missions. Since 1995, the nation of Georgia has put itself on the path of acceptance into NATO - thanks, in no small part, to the State Partnership Program. Suffice it to say, the National Guard's relationship with the nation of Georgia has had a local and political impact that reaches beyond the battlefield. But the contributions of the Georgian Armed Forces to the War on Terror are not to be understated. In 2010, the Georgia National Guard helped train over 2,000 Georgian Soldiers. It is worth noting that embedded Georgia National Guard Soldiers have fought side-by-side with Georgian Soldiers in Iraq. In fact, the country of Georgia is the third largest contributor of coalition forces currently in Iraq. The Georgian Armed Forces are currently providing one battalion to the coalition forces in Afghanistan with an additional battalion in training. The State of Georgia also supports the U.S. Marine Corps as they train additional Georgian battalions for combat in Afghanistan. In fact, I recently had the privilege of visiting those Georgia Guard members currently helping to train the Georgian Armed Forces. During my visit, I had the opportunity to tour the new National Defense Academy in Gori, Georgia. The academy was established in November 2010 by Presidential mandate, and it will accept the first class of students fall 2011. The Georgia National Guard has assisted with this effort through the SPP by arranging several meeting between Georgian and U.S. academic institutions - including North Georgia College and State University - to help develop curricula and syllabi. Staff members from NGCSU and I plan to attend the grand opening of the Georgian Academy this September. The future of the partnership will be based on continuing the already robust 15-year-old relationship, with the intent of building defense, interagency, and crisis management capacity within the partner country. What's clear, however, is that this partnership is just that - a mutually beneficial relationship, of which all Georgians (from either the Peach State or the Eastern European country) can be proud.
 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 • 8 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