Alabama–Romania National Guard Partnership
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The Alabama–Romania National Guard Partnership is one of 25 European partnerships that make up the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program and one of 88 worldwide partnerships that make-up the National Guard State Partnership Program.[1] Romania signed a bilateral affairs agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the state of Alabama in July 1993 establishing the Alabama–Romania State Partnership Program.[2] Since then, the ALNG has fostered a solid relationship and continues to be a viable enabler in building capacity in Romania.
Part of the U.S. European Command State Partnership Program | |
Origin | 1993 |
---|---|
Country president | Klaus Iohannis |
Prime minister | Nicolae Ciucă |
Minister of defense | Angel Tîlvăr |
Ambassador to U.S. | Andrei Muraru |
Ambassador to Romania | Kathleen A. Kavalec |
State Governor | Kay Ivey |
Adjutant general | MG Sheryl Gordon |
2012 Engagements | 6 |
NATO member | Yes (2004) |
EU member | Yes (2007) |
The Alabama National Guard, which became one of the first states to participate in the SPP, has witnessed the fruits of its enduring relationship with the Romanian military. Army Maj. Gen. Perry G. Smith, former Alabama Adjutant General, said his soldiers and airmen have taught the Romanians skills acquired during combat deployments and as well as those learned by responding to Hurricane Katrina and other disasters at home. Smith noted that on one day in April 2011, the state suffered 58 tornadoes, requiring him to activate 3,000 National Guardsmen to assist in response efforts. This has given the Alabama Guard solid experience to share with the Romanian military, Smith said, including its processes for providing defense support to civilian authorities and the courses-of-action development process the military uses to present commanders with decision-making options. The two countries' special operators, military police, infantry and logistics elements work together through the program.
The ALNG has conducted over 140 engagements since partnership inception. Engagements have focused on NATO interoperability, promoting political stability, assisting in the development of democratic institutions and open market economies, demonstrating military subordination and support to civil authorities, projecting U.S. humanitarian values and providing support to deploying troops in support of the current war fight.[3]