The enduring relationship between Kazakhstan and Arizona National Guard Bureau -- forged over 30 years of partnership -- has grown from promoting military and civilian relationships to including annual multinational peacekeeping training exercises.

Together Kazakhstan and Arizona have fostered collaboration and mutual growth in both military and civilian sectors.

Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the Arizona National Guard Bureau and Kazakhstan. The partnership was established in 1993 as one of the 13 original pairings under the State Partnership Program (SPP).

The US Department of Defense launched the SPP initiative to build and strengthen military-to-military and civilian-to-military relationships between US state National Guards and partner countries.

Over the past three decades, the Arizona National Guard has worked closely with Kazakhstan to exchange best practices, develop robust military capabilities and enhance civilian-military relations.

The partnership has fostered numerous exchanges and visits.

Kazakh delegations have come to Arizona for education on military police operations, vehicle maintenance support, aviation operations and aircraft maintenance, as well as non-commissioned officer development.

These visits have provided Kazakhstan's military personnel with insights into the operational standards and practices of the Arizona National Guard, enabling them to enhance their own capabilities.

Steppe Eagle

A significant achievement of this partnership was an annual multinational training exercise, Steppe Eagle.

The Steppe Eagle exercise occurred from 2003 to 2019.

The exercise, which focused on peacekeeping and peace support operations, was a cornerstone of the collaboration between Arizona and Kazakhstan.

Steppe Eagle brought together troops from US Army Central, the Arizona Army National Guard, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Türkiye, as well as other countries.

It sought to improve their collective ability to conduct peacekeeping missions, strengthen tactical proficiency in critical mission areas and support long-term regional stability.

The location of the exercise rotated yearly to give partner nations the chance to enhance interoperability.

The exercise grew in scope and complexity over the years, reflecting the evolving security landscape and the increasing importance of multinational cooperation in addressing global challenges.