240318-Z-OK054-1942

Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, presents Commodore Philip Polewara, acting defence chief of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, with a framed print March 18 of an interaction between Soldiers of the 32nd Division and a Papua New Guinean sketching a diagram of Japanese military positions from Nov. 15, 1942 during the campaign to drive the Japanese army out of Buna. The 32nd Division was largely composed of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers when World War II began. The photo underscores how far back Wisconsin’s history goes with Papua New Guinea. Forty Wisconsin National Guard Airmen and Soldiers spent the week of March 17-22 in Papua New Guinea collaborating with and training alongside the Papua New Guinea Defence Force as part of the State Partnership Program. This current exchange includes meetings between leadership along with training in instruction, medical, security forces, and collaboration with senior non-commissioned officers. The Wisconsin National Guard and Papua New Guinea began their partnership in 2020 and have since had several key leader engagements and site visits to strengthen that relationship. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Kati Volkman

240405-N-ZZ099-1001.JPG Photo By: Staff Sgt. Kati Volkman

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Wisconsin Guard seizes opportunity to grow relationship with Papua New Guinea

PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, presents Commodore Philip Polewara, acting defence chief of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, with a framed print March 18 of an interaction between Soldiers of the 32nd Division and a Papua New Guinean sketching a diagram of Japanese military positions from Nov. 15, 1942 during the campaign to drive the Japanese army out of Buna. The 32nd Division was largely composed of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers when World War II began. The photo underscores how far back Wisconsin’s history goes with Papua New Guinea. Forty Wisconsin National Guard Airmen and Soldiers spent the week of March 17-22 in Papua New Guinea collaborating with and training alongside the Papua New Guinea Defence Force as part of the State Partnership Program. This current exchange includes meetings between leadership along with training in instruction, medical, security forces, and collaboration with senior non-commissioned officers. The Wisconsin National Guard and Papua New Guinea began their partnership in 2020 and have since had several key leader engagements and site visits to strengthen that relationship. Wisconsin National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Kati Volkman

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