U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hosts State Partnership Program Senior Leader Forum

19 September 2025

From U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs

U.S. Indo-Pacific Command hosted the 2025 State Partnership Program Senior Leader Forum at USINDOPACOM headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, September 15-19, 2025.

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U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joel Carey, chief of staff for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, joins the 2025 State Partnership Program Senior Leader Forum for a group photo at USINDOPACOM headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Sept. 19, 2025. SPP is a Department of War security cooperation program managed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and executed by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, directing the National Guard of the States and Territories to maintain 17 partnerships with nine states and one territory, supported by 12 Guardsmen serving as bilateral affairs officers in regional embassies. USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Austin Riel)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Joel Carey, chief of staff for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, provides closing remarks at the 2025 State Partnership Program Senior Leader Forum at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command headquarters on Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, Sept. 19, 2025. SPP is a Department of War security cooperation program managed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and executed by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, directing the National Guard of the States and Territories to maintain 17 partnerships with nine states and one territory, supported by 12 Guardsmen serving as bilateral affairs officers in regional embassies. USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, prevailing in conflict. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Austin Riel)

U.S. Air Force Major General Joel Carey, chief of staff for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, addressed state adjutant generals and senior enlisted leaders, emphasizing the importance of strengthening partnerships and outlining future strategic plans.

The National Guard Bureau manages the State Partnership Program, a security cooperation initiative that States and territories execute in support of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. The National Guard maintains 18 partnerships involving nine States and one territory within the region, with 11 Guardsmen serving as bilateral affairs officers in regional embassies.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of continuous engagement between the Philippines, Guam, and Hawaii National Guard—the longest-running partnership in the Indo-Pacific region. This milestone highlights the enduring commitment to security cooperation, peaceful development, and regional stability.

The program began in July 1993 and has expanded from its initial partnerships to encompass over 100 countries worldwide. The State Partnership Program pairs U.S. National Guard elements with partner nations to build lasting relationships through a whole-of-society approach that advances security, interoperability, and readiness.