Mississippi's National Guard Bureau and Uzbekistan have had a vibrant partnership since 2012 under the aegis of the US National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program (SPP).

Since the start of the partnership, the Mississippi National Guard and Uzbekistan conducted more than 200 partnership engagements, ranging from meetings between key leaders and military-to-military exchanges and joint exercises.

This high level of engagement makes the partnership between Mississippi and Uzbekistan one of the most successful partnerships in the SPP.

The US Department of Defense launched the SPP in 1993 to build and strengthen military-to-military and civilian-to-military relationships between US states and partner countries.

The SPP links a unique component of the Department of Defense, a state's National Guard, with the armed forces or equivalent of a partner country in a cooperative, enduring and mutually beneficial relationship.

The program has been building relations for more than 30 years and now includes 96 partnerships with 106 nations around the globe.

More than a decade of partnership

This year marks 12 years of a highly active partnership between the Mississippi National Guard and Uzbekistan, including military drills.

In 2021, Uzbek soldiers and Mississippi National Guardsmen conducted their first joint airborne operation.

Uzbek forces have participated in Southern Strike, a large-scale international combat exercise that is hosted by Mississippi each year and focuses on total force interoperability.

Uzbekistan has also taken part in annual national disaster response exercises Ardent Sentry and Patriot South.

Uzbek troops have participated in the annual Regional Cooperation exercises and excelled at the Best Warrior Competition, an annual exercise held by the Department of the Army focused on physical fitness and marksmanship drills among forces spanning Active Duty, Reserve Component and the National Guard.

Wide engagement

The variety of engagements held by the SPP indicates how the National Guard is uniquely suited to conduct these military-to-military engagements.

The majority of Guardsmen serve only part time, holding civilian jobs and living amongst the communities they serve.

These engagements have led to cooperation that extend beyond the military.

In 2018, Mississippi hosted Uzbek senators to discuss trade and industry partnerships.

The subsequent year Uzbekistan hosted key leaders from Mississippi, including the governor, agriculture commissioner and adjutant general of the National Guard, to discuss further opportunities for partnership in trade, education and economic development.

In addition, the SPP has facilitated subject matter exchanges between Mississippi and Uzbekistan as well as partnerships between their respective universities.