The United States under secretary of defense for policy (USDP) is a high level civilian official in the United States Department of Defense. The under secretary of defense for policy is the principal staff assistant and adviser to both the secretary of defense and the deputy secretary of defense for all matters concerning the formation of national security and defense policy.
The State Partnership Program (SPP) is a joint program of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the individual states, territories, and District of Columbia. The program and the concept are entirely new, originating in 1993 as a simplified form of the previously established (1992) Joint Contact Team Program (JCTP). The JCTP aimed at assisting former Warsaw Pact and Soviet Union Republics, now independent, to form democracies and defense forces of their own. It featured long-term presence of extensive and expensive teams of advisory specialists. The SPP shortened the advisory presence to a United States National Guard unit of a designated state, called a partner, which would conduct joint exercises with the host. It is cheaper, has a lesser American presence, and can comprise contacts with civilian agencies. Today both programs are funded.
Public Affairs is a term for the formal offices of the branches of the United States Department of Defense whose purpose is to deal with the media and community issues. The term is also used for numerous media relations offices that are created by the U.S. military for more specific limited purposes. Public affairs offices are staffed by a combination of officers, enlisted personnel, civilian officials and contract professionals.
The United States Africa Command, is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States Department of Defense, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations, including fighting regional conflicts and maintaining military relations with 53 African nations. Its area of responsibility covers all of Africa except Egypt, which is within the area of responsibility of the United States Central Command. U.S. AFRICOM headquarters operating budget was $276 million in fiscal year 2012.
United States Security Assistance Organizations (SAOs) are Federal Government of the United States military and civilian personnel stationed in foreign countries to manage security assistance and other military programs. SAOs are closest to these programs' operation and have the closest contact with host-country militaries.
The Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command (MCAST) provides personnel, trains, equips and deploys U.S. Navy sailors for a task force commander to establish and enhance relations between military forces, governmental and nongovernmental organizations and the civilian populace. Accomplished in a collaborative manner across the spectrum of operations in the maritime environment, MCAST Command executes civilian to military operations and military to military training, as directed, in support of security cooperation and security assistance requirements.
A foreign area officer (FAO) is a commissioned officer from any of the six branches of the United States Armed Forces who is a regionally focused expert in political-military operations. Such officers possess a unique combination of strategic focus and regional expertise, with political, cultural, sociological, economic, and geographic awareness. Foreign language proficiency is necessary in at least one of the dominant languages in their specified region.
The 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, based at the Cumming Regional Readiness Center in Cumming, Georgia, was a major command of the Georgia Army National Guard. It was organized as the first battlefield surveillance brigade in the Army National Guard.
The Kansas–Armenia National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make-up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The Republic of Armenia signed a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Kansas in 2003 establishing the Kansas-Armenia State Partnership Program. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius subsequently signed a proclamation declaring June 18, 2004, as Kansas-Armenia Partnership Day.
The United States European Command State Partnership Program, according to its own mission, is a National Guard program that "links U.S. states with designated partner countries to ... support the command’s security cooperation objectives." Currently, 22 Partnerships exist "with former Soviet, Yugoslav and Warsaw Pact countries in the EUCOM Area of Responsibility." Becoming independent on the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991, these countries shortly requested the advice and assistance of the United States in creating new self-defense forces.
The Tennessee–Bulgaria National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 74 worldwide partnerships that make up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The Republic of Bulgaria joined by signing a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Tennessee in 1993. Since 2015 Bulgaria also contributes troops to the Resolute Support Mission as a member of NATO.
The Alabama–Romania National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The Republic of Romania signed a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Alabama in July 1993 establishing the Alabama–Romania State Partnership Program. Since then, the ALNG has fostered a solid relationship and continues to be a viable enabler in building capacity in Romania.
The California–Ukraine National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP). The California-Ukraine SPP is one of the most important and progressive partnerships within European Command. Ukraine's size and strategic location make it one of the most influential countries in the region, thus making the SPP a key factor in assisting Ukraine as it develops it budding democracy.
The Colorado–Slovenia National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program.
The Georgia–Georgia National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The Georgia National Guard has maintained a strong State Partnership program with the Republic of Georgia since 1994. Since then, Georgia has put itself on the path of acceptance into NATO, in large part due to the State Partnership Program.
The North Carolina–Moldova National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The Partnership was formalized on April 22, 1999. It has since evolved into a partnership that includes the efforts of many more organizations and individuals such as private firms, civic organizations and non-profit agencies. The partnership is a bi-lateral association with planning committees in both North Carolina and the Republic of Moldova who work together in a cooperative effort to improve and enrich the lives of everyone it touches.
The Ohio–Hungary National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make-up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The country of Hungary signed a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Ohio in 1993 establishing the Ohio-Hungary State Partnership program. There is a large population of Hungarians throughout Ohio, especially in Columbus, Cleveland, Dayton and Toledo. Since then, Ohio and Hungary have conducted over 150 SPP events in a host of security cooperation activities ranging from bilateral familiarizations, small unit exchanges, exercises, senior military and civic leader visits to deployments of Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLT) in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Ohio–Serbia National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make-up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The country of Serbia signed a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Ohio in 2006 establishing the Ohio-Serbian State Partnership program. With a substantial Serbian-American community in Cleveland it was a natural fit to create this partnership. Since then, Ohio and Serbia have conducted over 70 SPP events in a host of security cooperation activities ranging from bilateral familiarizations, small unit exchanges, exercises, senior military and civic leader visits to the potential development of future Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE).
The Vermont–North Macedonia National Guard Partnership is one of 22 European partnerships that make-up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 65 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program. The partnership between the Vermont National Guard (VTNG) and the Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM) has flourished since its establishment in 1993. In 2012, the VTNG was awarded the Macedonian Military Order of Merit by President Gjorge Ivanov, in appreciation of VTNG's commitment to the ARM. Vermont continues to support Macedonia's armed forces as their professionalism and capability increase.
