Guam and Nebraska National Guards form trilateral partnership with the Republic of the Marshall Islands

MAJURO, Republic of the Marshall Islands — The Republic of the Marshall Islands has joined the Department of War’s State Partnership Program, formalizing a tri-lateral relationship with the Guam National Guard and the Nebraska National Guard during a signing ceremony on Aug. 25 in Majuro.

The partnership document was signed by Chris Debrum, director of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Office of National Security, Brig. Gen. Karin Watson, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard, and Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard. President Hilda C. Heine attended alongside officials from the RMI, the United States, and international partners.

Program priorities include emergency management, cyber defense, and security cooperation. The Nebraska National Guard’s capabilities are intended to complement Guam’s regional expertise and long-standing presence, providing the RMI with broad-based support. Watson and Strong said their organizations have already begun initial talks, planning, and exercises with RMI leaders.

“This partnership is more than ceremonial, it reflects a shared commitment to build lasting capacity in areas that matter directly to safety, security and wellbeing of our people,” said Tony Muller, acting minister of foreign affairs and trade for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“Today, we are not just building a bridge; we are reinforcing the deep, historic currents that already connect us across Oceania,” said Brig. Gen. Karin Watson, adjutant general of the Guam National Guard. “This signing today is not just a symbolic gesture; it is a commitment to our shared future. It is a promise that the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the territory of Guam, and the state of Nebraska will learn from one another, support one another, and grow stronger together.”

“Today, we begin an important step in establishing the relationships and the friendships upon which this State Partnership Program effort will be based,” said Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, Nebraska Adjutant General. “It is upon our shared values that we build what I believe will become one of the strongest SPP partnerships in all of the Indo-Pacific region… a relationship that will not only bolster security and cooperation, but one that through our combined efforts will help make each of us stronger, more resilient and capable of solving our common and our unique challenges.”

Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen praised the initiative. “We are extremely excited and proud to begin this new effort with our partners in Guam and the Republic of the Marshall Islands,” said Governor Pillen. “Although we may be separated by thousands of miles, we know that Nebraskans share many things in common with the citizens of Guam and the Republic of the Marshall Islands such as a commitment to families, hard work and the discovery of solutions to the many common challenges we face. I am confident that the bonds that are being formed between Guam, the Marshall Islands and Nebraska through this new SPP relationship will lead to many positive outcomes that will pay dividends for many generations to come.”

The State Partnership Program, administered by the National Guard Bureau on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of War and executed by state National Guards in support of U.S. geographic combatant commands, has connected U.S. states with partner nations since 1993. There are 117 partnerships that strengthen military readiness and foster cooperation across government, industry, and civil society.