Guide
What is the National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP)?
The State Partnership Program, authorized by 10 U.S.C. 341, lets the National Guard of U.S. states and territories exchange personnel and conduct engagement with the military, civil and emergency-response personnel of partner nations. Activities are coordinated through the and the U.S. Ambassador's . The program is not a stand-alone authority: to support training it must be paired with another authority.
What is the State Partnership Program?
Section 341, Department of War State Partnership Program (SPP), allows the National Guard of U.S. states and territories to interact and exchange personnel with civil, military, and emergency/disaster response personnel of friendly international partners. Many of these international partners will have an assigned Bilateral Affairs Officer (BAO) from the National Guard state partner leading and managing the SPP effort and coordinating other mil-to-mil events. When authorized, the National Guard partner may also conduct and training events.
The National Guard’s involvement reflects an evolving international affairs strategy using the unique civil-military nature of the National Guard to interact with both civil and defense personnel of foreign countries. The state partners actively participate in a host of engagement activities, e.g., bilateral familiarization and training events, emergency management, environmental remediation exercises, fellowship-style internships, educational exchanges, and civic leader visits. All activities are coordinated through the , the U.S. Ambassador’s , and other agencies, as appropriate, to ensure that National Guard support is tailored to meet both U.S. and country objectives.
All state National Guards have an SPP coordinator who manages the program from the state National Guard headquarters. This program also authorizes National Guard personnel exchanges with military forces, security forces, or other government organizations of a country whose primary functions include disaster or emergency response.
Typically, funding of SPP activities requires joint approval by the applicable and /ambassador. The National Guard members must be on active duty to use these funds. National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) issue annual changes. It is imperative to check with respective for the latest SPP guidance.
References
SAMM
- SAMM C10.17.22 — The State Partnership Program.
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SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Activities undertaken by the DoD to encourage and enable international partners to work with the United States to achieve strategic objectives. It includes all DoD interactions with foreign defense and security establishments, including all DoD-administered security assistance programs, that: build defense and security relationships that promote specific U.S. security interests, including all international armaments cooperation activities and security assistance activities; develop allied and friendly military capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations; and provide U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access to host nations.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Humanitarian Assistance (HA)
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SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Chief of Mission (COM)
The principal officer in charge of a diplomatic facility of the United States, including any individual temporarily assigned to be in charge of such a facility.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
Glossary entry →Open the manual’s entry → (opens in new tab)