“The National Guard State Partnership Program: Strengthening U.S. Security, One Partnership at a Time”

1[House Hearing, 119 Congress]2[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]34                  THE NATIONAL GUARD STATE PARTNERSHIP5                 PROGRAM: STRENGTHENING U.S. SECURITY,6                       ONE PARTNERSHIP AT A TIME78=======================================================================910                                HEARING1112                               BEFORE THE1314                        SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND15                               FOREIGN AFFAIRS1617                                 OF THE1819                        COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND20                            GOVERNMENT REFORM2122                     U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES2324                    ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS2526                             FIRST SESSION2728                               __________2930                             JUNE 25, 20253132                               __________3334                           Serial No. 119-393536                               __________3738Printed for the use of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform3940[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]4142    Available on: govinfo.gov, oversight.house.gov or docs.house.gov4344                                __________4546                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE4761-714 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 20254849-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------5051              COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND GOVERNMENT REFORM5253                    JAMES COMER, Kentucky, Chairman5455Jim Jordan, Ohio                     Robert Garcia, California, Ranking56Mike Turner, Ohio                        Minority Member57Paul Gosar, Arizona                  Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of58Virginia Foxx, North Carolina            Columbia59Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin            Stephen F. Lynch, Massachusetts60Michael Cloud, Texas                 Raja Krishnamoorthi, Illinois61Gary Palmer, Alabama                 Ro Khanna, California62Clay Higgins, Louisiana              Kweisi Mfume, Maryland63Pete Sessions, Texas                 Shontel Brown, Ohio64Andy Biggs, Arizona                  Melanie Stansbury, New Mexico65Nancy Mace, South Carolina           Maxwell Frost, Florida66Pat Fallon, Texas                    Summer Lee, Pennsylvania67Byron Donalds, Florida               Greg Casar, Texas68Scott Perry, Pennsylvania            Jasmine Crockett, Texas69William Timmons, South Carolina      Emily Randall, Washington70Tim Burchett, Tennessee              Suhas Subramanyam, Virginia71Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia      Yassamin Ansari, Arizona72Lauren Boebert, Colorado             Wesley Bell, Missouri73Anna Paulina Luna, Florida           Lateefah Simon, California74Nick Langworthy, New York            Dave Min, California75Eric Burlison, Missouri              Ayanna Pressley, Massachusetts76Eli Crane, Arizona                   Rashida Tlaib, Michigan77Brian Jack, Georgia                  Vacancy78John McGuire, Virginia79Brandon Gill, Texas8081                                 ------8283                       Mark Marin, Staff Director84                   James Rust, Deputy Staff Director85                     Mitch Benzine, General Counsel86               Kaity Wolfe, Deputy Director for Oversight87         Grayson Westmoreland, Senior Professional Staff Member88      Mallory Cogar, Deputy Director of Operations and Chief Clerk8990                      Contact Number: 202-225-50749192                  Jamie Smith, Minority Staff Director93                      Contact Number: 202-225-505194                                 ------9596              Subcommittee On Military and Foreign Affairs9798               William Timmons, South Carolina, Chairman99100Michael Turner, Ohio                 Suhas Subramanyam, Virginia,101Michael Cloud, Texas                     Ranking Minority Member102Andy Biggs, Arizona                  Stephen Lynch, Massachusetts103Byron Donalds, Florida               Kweisi Mfume, Maryland104Anna Paulina Luna, Florida           Greg Casar, Texas105Eli Crane, Arizona                   Vacancy106John McGuire, Virginia               Vacancy107108                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S109110                              ----------111112                           OPENING STATEMENTS113114                                                                   Page115116Hon. William Timmons, U.S. Representative, Chairman..............     1117118Hon. Suhas Subramanyam, U.S. Representative, Ranking Member......     2119120                               WITNESSES121122Mr. Christopher Mamaux, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for123  Global Partnerships, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)124Oral Statement...................................................     3125126Major General William J. Edwards, Director, Strategic Plans and127  Policy, and International Affairs (NGB J-5), National Guard128  Bureau (NGB)129Oral Statement...................................................     5130131Major General Robin B. Stilwell, Adjutant General, South Carolina132  National Guard133Oral Statement...................................................     6134135Written opening statements and bios are available on the U.S.136  House of Representatives Document Repository at:137  docs.house.gov.138139                           INDEX OF DOCUMENTS140141  * Article, CNN, ``Gabon Military Coup, What to Know About the142  Overthrow''; submitted by Rep. Crane.143144  * Article, The Intercept, ``Niger Coup Leader Joins Long Line145  of U.S.-Trained Mutineers''; submitted by Rep. Crane.146147  * Article, BBC, ``Sierra Leone Coup Attempt, What May Have148  Sparked the Violence''; submitted by Rep. Crane.149150  * Article, The Intercept, ``U.S.-Trained Niger Junta Kicks Out151  U.S. Troops, Drone Base''; submitted by Rep. Crane.152153  * Statement, May, 2025, NG SPP Map; submitted by Rep. Crane.154155  * Article, FoxNews, ``I Led National Guard and Regular Army156  Units''; submitted by Rep. Subramanyam.157158The documents listed above are available at: docs.house.gov.159160                  THE NATIONAL GUARD STATE PARTNERSHIP161                 PROGRAM: STRENGTHENING U.S. SECURITY,162                       ONE PARTNERSHIP AT A TIME163164                              ----------165166                        WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2025167168                     U.S. House of Representatives169170              Committee on Oversight and Government Reform171172             Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs.173174                                                   Washington, D.C.175176    The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:03 p.m., in177room HVC-210, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Hon. William Timmons178[Chairman of the Subcommittee] presiding.179    Present: Representatives Timmons, Cloud, Luna, Crane,180McGuire, Subramanyam, and Lynch.181    Mr. Timmons. This hearing of the Subcommittee on Military182and Foreign Affairs will come to order. Welcome, everyone.183    Without objection, the Chair may declare a recess at any184time.185    I recognize myself for the purpose of making an opening186statement.187188 OPENING STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN WILLIAM TIMMONS REPRESENTATIVE189                      FROM SOUTH CAROLINA190191    Mr. Timmons. Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today192to discuss one of the Department of Defense's most effective,193yet often overlooked, tools of soft power: the National Guard's194State Partnership Program, or SPP. Since its founding in 1993195as a post-cold war initiative, the SPP has been instrumental in196fostering close military relationships with foreign nations and197allies all around the world. Currently, the program boasts over198100 participants throughout every geographic combatant command.199From Eastern Europe to the islands in the South Pacific, the200State Partnership Program has helped the United States deter201our adversaries, enhance allied interoperability, and promote202regional stability. It is my hope that this hearing will203demonstrate the global impact of this essential program and to204provide Subcommittee Members the opportunity to have any205questions or concerns answered by the subject matter experts we206have before us today.207    However, as with most defense programs, this program also208brings complexity and the opportunity for waste, fraud, and209abuse. A 2022 Government Accountability Office report found210that DOD and the National Guard Bureau face serious challenges211in tracking completed activities and clarifying legal212authorities to partner nations. While the Committee has been213assured that these issues have since been resolved and that the214Department has satisfied all GAO's recommendations, I am215curious about ways Congress can help continue the success of216this program and help prevent any future issues. Additionally,217I am curious to hear from our witnesses how these valuable218partnerships stay aligned with the Administration's national219security priorities as well as how successful outcomes are220tracked and measured.221    Finally, we must assess the resources that are provided to222the program. Currently, the SPP's budget is just one percent of223the overall defense security cooperation budget but accounts224for almost 30 percent of all geographic combatant command225engagements with partners and allies. It is my hope that this226hearing will bring to light the need for enhanced funding for227the State Partnership Program and the vital mission it228supports. I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today,229and I want to thank them again for appearing before us.230    I now recognize Ranking Member Subramanyam for the purpose231of making an opening statement.232    Mr. Subramanyam. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate233all the witnesses for coming today. Thank you for being here.234235              OPENING STATEMENT OF RANKING MEMBER236237        SUHAS SUBRAMANYAM, REPRESENTATIVE FROM VIRGINIA238239    Mr. Subramanyam. The National Guard is a unique branch of240the U.S. military with dual state and Federal missions, and I241have had the pleasure of working with the Virginia National242Guard in my time serving in Richmond and here in Congress, and243I appreciate the great work that they do to protect our244commonwealth as well as the Nation. And the State Partnership245Program is a critical component of the Guard's global military246readiness and America's partnerships around the world, and for247more than three decades, the program has built relationships248between the National Guard of every state, territory, and D.C.,249and 100 nations on every continent. It may even be more now.250And these partnerships support joint training exercises and251disaster response, humanitarian aid, counterterrorism and252counter-trafficking activities, and much more.253    And the Virginia National Guard currently maintains two254relationships under the SPP. One is with Tajikistan since 2003.255Tajikistan is a former Soviet Republic, and the partnership has256helped both sides develop counterterrorism emergency response257and mountain warfare expertise as well, which has been258critical, and last year, Virginia also finalized a second259partnership with Finland. This builds upon a longstanding260relationship between Finland and Virginia. Our troops served261alongside each other in Bosnia in 2001 to 2002, and under this262new partnership, we are focused on cyber threats, cold weather263tactics, and much more, although we will not need those tactics264in this weather today. But this program is an important265component in America's diplomatic efforts, and these266relationships have proven crucial in improving cybersecurity,267disaster response, and even in the war in Ukraine as well.268    And so, I want to thank our Virginia National Guard as well269as the National Guard around the country and thank the270witnesses for being here today. I look forward to today's271testimony as we look for how we can be helpful in Congress to272the National Guard and to the SPP program. Thank you. I yield273back.274    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. I am pleased to welcome an expert275panel of witnesses for today's discussion. I would first like276to welcome Mr. Christopher Mamaux, the Deputy Assistant277Secretary of Defense for Global Partnerships at the Department278of Defense. Second, I would like to welcome Major General279William Edwards, the Director of Strategic Plans and Policy and280International Affairs with the National Guard Bureau. Last, I281would like to welcome Major General Robin Stilwell, the282Adjutant General of the National Guard in my home state of283South Carolina. A special thank you, General, for being here284today.285    Pursuant to Committee Rule 9(g), the witnesses will please286stand and raise their right hand.287    Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony that you288are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing289but the truth, so help you God?290    [A chorus of ayes.]291    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. Let the record show that the292witnesses answered in the affirmative. Please take your seat.293We appreciate you being here today and look forward to your294testimony.295    Let me remind the witnesses that we have read your written296statement, and it will appear in full in the hearing record.297Please limit your oral statement to 5 minutes. As a reminder,298please press the button on the microphone in front of you so299that it is on and the Members can hear you. When you begin to300speak, the light in front of you will turn green. After 4301minutes, the light will turn yellow. When the red light comes302on, your 5 minutes have expired, and we would ask that you303please wrap up.304    I now recognize Mr. Mamaux for his opening statement.305306                STATEMENT OF CHRISTOPHER MAMAUX307308           DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR309310                      GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS311312                U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD)313314    Mr. Mamaux. Thank you, Chair. Good afternoon, Chairman315Timmons, Ranking Member, Mr. Subramanyam, distinguished Members316of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, this317Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs. Thank you for the318opportunity to provide an overview of a vital element of United319States national security and global defense cooperation: the320National Guard State Partnership Program, which we colloquially321refer to as the SPP. It is my distinct honor to appear322alongside Major General Bill Edwards, the Director of Strategic323Plans and Policy/International Affairs at the National Guard324Bureau, J-5, in International Affairs; Major General Rob325Stilwell, the Adjutant General of the South Carolina National326Guard.327    For over 30 years, the SPP has been developing enduring328relationships, increasing cooperation across the globe. It is a329simple, yet effective concept: pairing a state or territory's330National Guard with a partner nation to foster long-term,331mutually beneficial relationships, while enhancing joint332military capabilities and readiness in combination with other333authorities. Today, the SPP boasts a network of 115 partner334nations, strategically aligned with the National Guard's335presence in all 54 states, territories, and the District of336Columbia. Working hand in hand with the State Department and337the geographic combatant commands, this extensive reach makes338the SPP a critical component of the United States national339security framework.340    SPP contributes to deterrence, increasing partner341countries' burden-sharing capabilities, signaling a unified342front against potential adversaries, thereby making America343safer. Of critical importance is the SPP's alignment with the344Defense Department's Interim National Defense Strategic345Guidance to achieve President Trump's mandate of achieving346peace through strength. The SPP directly contributes to the347objective of ensuring partners can shoulder their share of the348burden in our collective defense. In a mark of its evolution349since the program began, it has gone beyond what was envisioned350and even resulted in numerous co-deployments hinted at earlier351with the National Guard soldiers and airmen deploying in harm's352way alongside of our partners.353    The SPP's success lies in its multifaceted approach,354fostering enduring relationships born of a shared understanding355for mutual benefit. These partnerships extend beyond356traditional military training, encompassing disaster response,357border security, and cyber defense. A key example of the SPP's358strategic impact can be seen in our relationship with Colombia,359a strategic partner for the United States and South America and360instrumental in our shared efforts to counter transnational361organized crime, narcotics, and illegal migration. This362holistic approach allows the program to address a broader range363of security challenges, build resilience in partner nations.364Additionally, the SPP's brilliance in building interoperability365across partners while supporting shared responsibility across366the same is another hallmark of success in addressing global367security threats. The SPP builds more capable forces, helping368make America's alliances and partnerships stronger.369    While the success and value of the SPP is evident, it is370paramount to ensure its alignment with the President's America371First agenda that every dollar we spend makes the American372people safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Responsible373stewardship requires us to consider an approach focused on374optimizing existing partnerships and a strict prioritization of375new partnerships to ensure strategic and effective use of376resources. Deepening existing relationships and prioritizing377partnerships aligned with key U.S. strategic objectives,378particularly in the Indo-Pacific, is a crucial step to ensuring379the SPP continues to deliver maximum value for the American380taxpayer.381    A key element involves allocating resources toward382developing the most beneficial partnerships and facilitating383the development of lethal capabilities, when necessary, for384defending the homeland and deterring China. Such actions385guarantee the SPP remains a cornerstone of our National386Security Strategy. This targeted approach allows us to387capitalize on the existing network of SPP and expand in key388theaters, while also freeing up resources for other critical389defense priorities.390    To conclude, I want to acknowledge the vital role to this391Committee in ensuring the SPP remains responsible and effective392beneficiary of taxpayer dollars. It is important to demonstrate393the value and effectiveness of our activities to the American394people, and we appreciate this Committee's dedication to395holding us to that very high standard. The SPP represents a396significant return on investment, fostering stability and397security around the world. Thank you for your continued398support, and I look forward to your questions.399    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. I now recognize General400Edwards for his opening statement.401402         STATEMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM J. EDWARDS403404             DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PLANS AND POLICY,405406              AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (NGB J-5)407408                  NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU (NGB)409410    Major General Edwards. Good afternoon. Chairman Timmons,411Ranking Member Subramanyam, distinguished Members of the House412Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Military and413Foreign Affairs Subcommittee, I want to thank you for allowing414me to speak on behalf of the National Guard Bureau and in415support of the State Partnership Program. I am honored to sit416alongside DASD, Mr. Christopher Mamaux, and Major General Rob417Stilwell for this hearing.418    The State Partnership Program embodies a cost-effective and419collaborative approach to peace through strength. It improves420security capabilities of our partners and the readiness of our421units. Through face-to-face engagements and cooperative422training, the State Partnership Program cultivates essential423relationships with our partner nations. It improves424interoperability and facilitates a shared responsibility to425shoulder the regional security burdens of today's global426environment. The State Partnership Program is an OSD program427managed by the National Guard Bureau and executed by the428states. It is done in support of the regional combatant429commands' security cooperation strategy and the U.S. embassies'430integrated strategy plans for the partner nations. The National431Guard Bureau manages the program and resourcing, but the states432lead the partnerships, and they are directly responsible for433the success of those relationships. So, it is fitting to have434the Adjutant General of South Carolina here to showcase the435relationship that his state has developed with its partner.436    In 2025, the total operating budget for the SPP is437approximately $55 million. This allocation enables the438execution of more than 1,000 engagements across all aspects of439international civil military affairs. It has also supported the440addition of eight new partner nations. The National Guard441Bureau uses a structured resource allocation model to portion442the funding to the states based off their partnership plans443that they develop in coordination with their partners. This444allocation model considers the priorities communicated in the445National Defense Strategy and the Interim National Defense446Strategic Guidance.447    An important starting point for our discussion is the448program's growth. What began in 1993, and with 13 nations in449Eastern Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union, has grown to450115 countries across every geographic combatant command, and451there is appetite for more continued growth. We see interest452from potential partner nations to join the program from453National Guard States, from OSD, and from the geographic454combatant commands. In fact, we are in the midst of pairing455eight new partner nations. This year, multiple states have456submitted applications for the opportunity to be paired with457these nations in a competitive process. The state and partner458nation pairing process includes a rigorous strategic and459comparative analysis based off the state's capabilities. And460with commensurate resourcing, the National Guard has the461capacity to continue to grow the program in support of the462Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance.463    The Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Steve464Nordhaus, testified earlier this month. He said, ``We cannot465overstate the value of these mutually beneficial security466cooperation relationships that are built on trust and shared467values.'' He continued to say that, ``For less than one percent468of the U.S. security cooperation budget, the SPP strengthens469partner capacity, addresses security challenges, and enhances470global stability.'' I am happy to share that since the 2022471Government Accountability Office report, we have made great472strides in improving the timely reporting of our State473Partnership Program activities using Socium, the Security474Cooperation Program of Record.475    Our organization has worked with the Defense Security476Cooperation University to revamp the training course that we477provide to practitioners of the State Partnership Program, both478in the states and in my International Affairs Division. This479course provides clear guidance related to cradle-to-grave480reporting requirements and the process to appropriately pair481Section 341 SPP authorities with other appropriate security482cooperation authorities. The State Partnership Program is a483unique tool in the security cooperation toolbox. It is the only484security cooperation program that delivers sustained, enduring485relationships with our partners that our competitors simply486cannot match. Many of our adjutants general have engaged with487their partner nations' leaders, including their chiefs of488defense, throughout their careers.489    I want to express my appreciation to Congress for their490enthusiastic support of this program. It is an honor to lead a491program that is so impactful in growing enduring security492relationships on behalf of the United States. I am thankful to493the 54 adjutants general and their soldiers and airmen who work494tirelessly to increase regional security across the world. It495is my pleasure to sit before this Committee, and I welcome your496questions.497    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. I now recognize General498Stilwell for his opening statement.499500STATEMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL ROBIN B. STILWELL ADJUTANT GENERAL,501                 SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD502503    Major General Stilwell. Distinguished Members of the504Committee, Chairman Timmons, Ranking Member Subramanyam, thank505you for having us here today. I echo the sentiments of my506colleagues when I say it is a distinct privilege and honor to507receive your invitation to testify before you today. I sit508before you today as the Adjutant General of the State of South509Carolina, and hopefully I can lend a state's perspective to510this discussion and discuss the execution at the ground level511of the SPP program.512    In South Carolina, we are privileged and honored to be513partnered with the Republic of Colombia. Our partnership with514Colombia began in 2012. It is an active and mutually beneficial515relationship built on shared commitment to military readiness,516regional security, and disaster preparedness. Our security517cooperation agreements are executed in accordance with the518Department of State and the Department of Defense directives,519U.S. Southern Command Theater Campaign Plan for USSOUTHCOM, our520partners' intermediate military objectives, and the U.S.521Embassy's Integrated Country Strategy. Our efforts align with522the President's priority of achieving peace through strength523and the Department's Interim National Defense Strategic524Guidance.525    Areas of emphasis and concern include, first of all,526regional stability. A stable and secure Colombia is vital to527the security of the entire region. By integrating with and528strengthening Colombia's military forces, the SPP contributes529to regional stability and protects our national interests.530Second, countering transnational criminal organizations.531Recognizing Colombia's role as a transit point for illicit532activities and the presence of transnational criminal533organizations, we actively collaborate with the Colombia534military to enhance their capabilities in combating these535threats. Next, strategic access. Colombia is a geographically536significant location, bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west537and Panama to the north. As China persists in gaining a538foothold in commercial enterprise as well as trade and port539management across the region, our strong relationship ensures540continued access to and integration with Colombian military541facilities and other strategic access.542    Next, engagements. On average, the State of South Carolina543and the National Guard participates in 40 SPP events annually.544These events will take place both in the United States, in545Colombia, and in other regions of the world and involve546multiple military organizations. By the end of Fiscal Year5472025, we will have completed 52 engagements, 29 of those in the548Country of Colombia. Our focus areas include rotary wing search549and rescue operations; aviation standardization, which includes550maintenance, safety, and readiness; vertical and horizontal551engineering; cyber defense; explosive ordnance, identification,552and remediation; disaster preparedness; courtroom procedures;553and professional military development.554    Notably, ladies and gentlemen, our rotary wing maintenance555and readiness initiative just recently paired with the556Colombian Army and has helped to surge their helicopter rotary557wing aviation readiness from 20 percent to 60 percent, a558dramatic 40 percent increase since December 2024. This success559is a direct result of targeted engagements led by the U.S. Army560South and the South Carolina National Guard, who assisted the561Colombian Army to develop effective maintenance schedules,562streamline parts ordering, and standardize operating563procedures.564    Our planning for all of these events begins two years in565advance with a series of conferences and bilateral staff talks566attended by senior leaders of the combatant command, the567embassy, South Carolina, and our Colombian partners. These568recurrent events fuel an evolving 5-year plan to identify,569improve, and achieve United States-Colombian security570cooperation objectives. Our exercises expand interoperability571with Colombia. We have worked closely with SOUTHCOM, ARSOUTH,572and U.S. Air Force's Southern to support a long and varied list573of military exercises and events.574    For five years straight, we have supported exercise575Continuing Promise, a U.S. Naval Force's Southern Command-576hosted medical outreach exercise. Teams of 10 to 15 South577Carolina guardsmen, medics, and support staff serve remote578communities across Colombia, evaluating and treating more than579200 indigenous people over a 3-day period. In 2021, we embedded580a Colombian platoon with our infantry for a grueling deployment581to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.582The year preceding that, we sent those same infantrymen to583Colombia to conduct exercises at their chief training center at584Tolemaida. Also, we are in the planning processes to send585Colombian engineer units with our engineering brigade for a586deployment at Operation Spartan Shield in Kuwait, and we hope587that we can achieve that. As we meet here today, our 169th588Fighter Wing is making final preparations to participate in589next month's Relampago de los Andes. Four of our fighter jets590and about 150 Swamp Fox Airmen will participate in the591Colombian Air Force's largest air and medical outreach592exercise.593    Ladies and gentlemen, in conclusion, I want to emphasize594the dual importance of this partnership, maintaining stability595with the region and maintaining readiness, recruiting,596retention, and relevance of the South Carolina National Guard.597Our mutually beneficial relationship with Colombia allows598soldiers and airmen invaluable career-enhancing opportunities599to share experiences and participating in meaningful exercises600in unique environments, while building lasting relationships601with our peers in the Colombian military.602    Ladies and gentlemen, as the Adjutant General of the State603of South Carolina, my priority is to prepare combat soldiers to604meet their Federal mission set, and that is to deploy abroad605and engage the enemies of the United States in combat and win.606Anything else that I do as the Adjutant General of the State of607South Carolina is a distraction. And I can tell you that if608this program were not value-added and did not enhance the609readiness of my combat soldiers and airmen in the State of610South Carolina, I would not be here advocating for it. So, I611can tell you right now it enhances our readiness. It is value-612added to the readiness of the United States Armed Forces and613the National Guard writ large.614    Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for allowing me to be here615today, and I look forward to answering any questions that you616may have.617    Mr. Timmons. Thank you, General. I now recognize myself for6185 minutes of questions.619    Mr. Mamaux, security cooperation, like the State620Partnership Program, contributes to regional stability and621long-term prosperity both in the United States and in partner622nations. In a broader strategic context, how does sustained623military-to-military cooperation through the SPP help the624United States compete with adversaries like China and Russia?625    Mr. Mamaux. Thank you, Chair. As you rightfully pointed626out, the strategic importance of the SPP is bar none. It is a627peerless program that is a strategic advantage, a competitive628advantage, if we use a little more business-term nomenclature629here, that benefits the United States of America with enduring630relationship building around the globe. Neither China nor631Russia have a program that is even remotely similar, and they632certainly do not have the relationships to call on when that633time arises. This is something that we see value in. This is634something that I think makes a lot of common sense to the635American people. As President Trump always underlines, and we636have in the Department as well, how does this translate to637success in a commonsense way for the average American citizen638out there and the walls that depend on us to make sure that we639are making the right choices and the right calls? And again,640the relationships that we have around the globe through the SPP641process for over 30 years of enduring relationships is just one642highlight of that example.643    Mr. Timmons. I think we all see how China is using the Belt644and Road Initiative to try to create a stranglehold on645developing economies and developed economies alike. Would you646say that SPP, in addition to the IMF and World Bank, are kind647of our counterbalance to that effort?648    Mr. Mamaux. I would presume that the SPP partnership649predates the actual implementation of the Belt and Road650Initiative that we have seen over the past couple of decades,651not nearly the 30-year process that SPP has been around the652globe. So, I would say there is a primacy there in terms of an653equal footing of a partnership, shared responsibility,654shouldering the burden together with our partner nations, and655making sure that there is a value add for both us and our656partner nations across the globe.657    I think that it would not be too far to speak out that the658BRI initiative that China has been developing over decades now659is something that becomes a little more predatory in process,660so that once a critical mass point has been reached, the661tipping point is crossed, and then the, we will call it the662affected targeted nation, at that point no longer has the663ability to have any sort of equal footing. That is never the664case with the SPP. This is an enduring partnership that the665United States takes pride in, and we continue to develop it.666    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. General Edwards, how do667you envision the SPP evolving over the next five to ten years668to meet emerging security challenges?669    Major General Edwards. Thank you for the question, Chair. I670think we are going to take the lead from the National Defense671Strategy. We have the Interim National Defense Strategic672Guidance now. I know the Administration is working on the673National Defense Strategy as we speak, expected to be published674end of the summer. What I expect to do in collaboration with675the geographic combatant commanders and their Security676Cooperation Office is to adapt the individual partnerships to677ensure that we are meeting those goals as directed from the678higher guidance and also support the readiness requirements of679the units that are involved in the partnership events.680    And adjutant generals have a key role there, the Department681has a key role there, and my office, my team, gets to help682coordinate all that with our partners in the geographic683combatant command. So, we will take all of our guidance from684the Department. It is an OSD program, as I like to remind685everybody, and we do it to support the geographic combatant686command's goals.687    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. General Stilwell, you688spoke about this in your opening statement. Could you elaborate689on how the partnership with Colombia has enhanced the South690Carolina Guard's ability to operate in joint or multinational691environments?692    Major General Stilwell. Of course. So, we have the693opportunity, we have the privilege of going to Colombia, of694course, and training in very real settings with foreign695militaries. They come to South Carolina and they do the same.696So, in any mission set that we have to prosecute in the United697States military, it is just a series of standard steps, and698that is mobilize; deploy; conduct sophisticated, complex699mission sets; redeploy; reorganize. And each and every time we700have the opportunity to do that, each and every time we have701the opportunity to take some swings in the batting cage, as it702were, we get better. It increases our readiness. Having the703ability to do that in a peacetime setting, in a controlled704setting with a foreign military, not only Army and Air, but705Navy and also security forces, it gives us the benefit of being706able to work in that joint environment.707    Mr. Timmons. Thank you, gentlemen. With that, I now708recognize Mr. Subramanyam for 5 minutes of questions.709    Mr. Subramanyam. Thank you. Major General Edwards, I know710the SPP program evolved from post-Soviet roots, or started from711post-Soviet roots, and how has the program evolved over the712years, and what changes do you think may happen in the future?713    Major General Edwards. Ranking Member, thank you for the714question. I think, how has it evolved? It has had a steady715growth over the many years, the 32 years, since inception. That716first grouping of 13 nations, as we both, I think, discussed717earlier, came from the breakdown of the wall between East and718West. Since that time, it has continued to grow, on average,719about five countries a year. This year is kind of a less,720current year, we had eight new countries added to the program721from all across the world. If you go by geographic combatant722commands, SOUTHCOM, of which Colombia is in that area of723responsibility, that is a saturated market, so to speak. All724the countries in the SOUTHCOM AOR are in the State Partnership725Program and partnered with a state.726    We are about 29 countries in the European and EUCOM area of727operations. We have got 18 in INDOPACOM and 25 in Africa. So,728the opportunity to kind of expand the program into, clearly,729the priority theater for the Administration is INDOPACOM, we730definitely want to support that. And I think there is also an731opportunity to grow the program, again, based off the732Department's priorities, to counter China, to counter our733adversaries in areas such as Africa and the Middle East. So,734without identifying countries that could join the program, I735would say we follow the priorities of the Administration that736starts in INDOPACOM and everywhere else that China has began to737expand its influence across the world, and I think we can738certainly match that with continuing to grow the State739Partnership Program.740    Mr. Subramanyam. Yes, thank you, and, you know, I talked to741a lot of defense contractors in my district and across742Virginia, and they are saying that the future of warfare is743changing, right? It is certainly not horses and bayonets744anymore, but no longer even tanks or ground troops as much. A745lot of it is fought online with cybersecurity, hacks, and, you746know, offensive and defensive digital warfare. And so, has the747National Guard and the SPP, has that taken that into account?748Are there any programs to look at the future of warfare?749    Major General Edwards. Absolutely. That is part of what we750do. As we adapt our forces and as the global environment751changes, we adapt to follow that. I will cite the Virginia's752partnership with Finland. I know there was a cyber exercise753recently, collaboration between the Virginia National Guard and754the Finnish cyber defense forces. And I think what is755particularly important about that, and I was once told, you756know, from a colleague in the Finnish Armed Forces that the757cold war never ended for them. So that exercise, focusing in758the cyber domain, happened, you know, on the door front of a759potential adversary and in that gray space, that hybrid warfare760environment that I think describes the situation as you stated.761    Mr. Subramanyam. And we have talked a lot in this Committee762about, again, new tactics in warfare. And so, I know763Tajikistan, the program is looking at mountain warfare. We have764talked even about drones and drone warfare. I am curious what765other types of, kind of, cutting-edge initiatives are happening766in the SPP and how can Congress be helpful moving forward?767    Major General Edwards. Yes. I think as all our forces adapt768to the new character of war, as it has been called, and769include, you know, the transparency of the battlefield, which770is what drones and unmanned aerial systems provide. We adapt771our tactics. We adapt our formations. I know the Army is going772through a big adaptation right now. All of our forces are773anticipating the changes that will be required in this new774character of war. And so, as we change, it actually helps our775partners change with us. That maintaining interoperability with776the State Partnership Program, I think, is key. So, whether it777be through cyber operation, cyber exercises, unmanned aerial778surveillance systems or even ground maneuver with bayonets,779because I do not believe that will ever completely go away. But780we will adapt the ratios of those dimensions of warfare as the781situation requires, and we will share that and leverage some of782those insights that we gain from our partners. As I stated,783some of our partners who are closer to the adversary physically784than our forces are, they have a lot to share with us.785    Mr. Subramanyam. Thank you. Thank you. I yield back.786    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. I now recognize the gentleman from787Texas, Mr. Cloud, for 5 minutes.788    Mr. Cloud. Thank you, and thank you for being here, and789thank you again for your service to our country.790    I would like to hear a little more. I appreciate the791insight you have provided on the deployments, Colombia being an792example, and what we can learn in drug interdiction in working793with them, and also the lessons and how they are applicable,794but how often do these deployments happen? What are some other795examples in other countries? How do you prioritize which796mission to go to, especially in light of, you know, limited797budgets? And then what is on the stop doing list, as you are798looking for more capabilities with limited budgets, may have to799stop doing some things to increase our capabilities in other800areas?801    Major General Stilwell. So, thank you for the question,802sir. What I would tell you is in our relationship with803Colombia, I have always said that that our operations, our804deployments, our engagements, are really only limited by805imagination and inclination. So, we are very active with806Colombia. You talk specifically about deployments. There have807been other states, and I will defer to General Edwards on those808other states who may have had deployment experiences, but we809are sending, again, as I mentioned before perhaps, and planning810to send some engineering assets from Colombian Army with our811engineer brigade. We have also had, again, those infantry units812marrying up and training together. In a lot of instances, the813way we determine who is going to train and/or deploy with whom,814is really looking at like units with like mission sets so that815they can marry up and they can prosecute the very same mission816set when they get into either a training environment or when817they get overseas.818    I know, and this speaks a little bit to the Ranking819Member's question as well, but we are talking about820deployments. The cyber end of it is very active as well in821Colombia. We have a cyber battalion in the State of South822Carolina, and we have had three engagements with the Colombians823so far this year, and right now as I speak, we are engaging in824our fourth. We have begun to speak with the embassy about825perhaps sending some of our cyber personnel down there during826Colombia's elections that are upcoming as well just to perhaps827assist or advise to the extent that they may want that. So, we828are doing it continuously.829    Mr. Cloud. If I could say, the remaining of the time, to830get you all's, your perspective on that, General Edwards and831Mr. Mamaux. Did I pronounce that all right?832    Major General Edwards. Absolutely.833    Mr. Cloud. Thank you.834    Major General Edwards. And I think, you know, the case835study with South Carolina and Colombia is a good one. I get to836read about the different programs from him and his 53837colleagues from the other states. And one of the things that I838would, I guess, offer from a comprehensive point of view is one839of the great things about the State Partnership Program is its840flexibility and adaptability. And what I mean by that is that841both the size of any given exchange or engagement from one or842two people conducting a shared subject matter exchange to843entire units conducting a combined exercise together, that844varies. And we have got 54 states, territories, and the845District of Columbia. We have got 115 partnerships, so you can846imagine the number of combinations that would ensue, and it is847flexible, it is adaptable, and so they vary in scale.848    I think the prospect of a combined deployment came up that849General Stilwell mentioned, there is one going on right now.850The Iowa National Guard just completed a rotation from the851Joint Readiness Training Center and of its state partners,852Kosovo, had a platoon not only go through that exercise,853through that training event, but they are going to co-deploy854with the brigade from the Iowa National Guard to the Central855Command AOR in coming weeks. So, that is kind of on the high856end or the large scale of the potential combinations that could857ensue and varies all the way down to subject matter exchanges,858one, two, three, four people, for three, four days to a week to859two weeks. So, it varies incredibly and depends on, again, what860the geographic combatant commander is trying to achieve with861its security cooperation goals and what the readiness goals are862for the units conducting the exercise or exchange.863    Mr. Cloud. Thank you.864    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. I recognize the gentleman from865Massachusetts, Mr. Lynch, for 5 minutes.866    Mr. Lynch. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and Ranking867Member Subramanyam. Mr. Mamaux, Major General Edwards, Major868General Stilwell, and folks behind you, thank you so much for869your service to your country. I really appreciate you, and we870honor your service. Thanks for being here and being willing to871answer questions before the Committee and help us with our872work.873    Originally, I had planned to address the refusal of874President Trump to consult with California Governor Gavin875Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass before making a876unilateral decision to deploy the National Guard and the United877States Marine Corps against the civilian population of Los878Angeles. Unfortunately, more recent events have now overtaken879and amplified this same problem of unilateral dictatorial880decisionmaking by our President. I am, of course, referring to881President Trump's refusal to include Congress in a meaningful882way on the decision to deploy U.S. forces in a military883operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran. I will not ask884you any questions about that. It would not be fair to you. You885are not prepared to address that issue, but I do want to get886this on the record.887    So, this decision to deploy U.S. forces in a military888operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran where uranium889enrichment, potential nuclear weapons development, and the890custody of over 800 pounds of near weapons grade fissile891material remains unaccounted for. I think a lot of Democrats892and a lot of Republicans agree that should be the hearing we893are having.894    Mr. Timmons. Will the gentleman yield?895    Mr. Lynch. Not yet. What is also deeply troubling is the896deliberate decision by the President to share less than897complete information with even some of my Republican898colleagues, especially senior Republican Members, while899completely concealing information and thereby misleading duly900elected Democratic Members of Congress who should have been901immediately and fully informed. And that is different in this902country. That is a real departure from how we usually deal with903moments of crisis in the country, especially when it involves904our military. We have not seen that before, because in the905past, from President Washington to Wilson to President906Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Johnson, to both President George H.907and George W. Bush, and up until the present day, every one of908those Presidents, Democrat and Republican, has kept faith with909the basic premise that on those very rare occasions when910diplomacy fails and our national security is threatened and we911need to send our sons and daughters into battle, that we do not912do so as Democrats or Republicans. We do it as a country, as913Americans. We go into battle together, fully informed.914    That principle was abandoned last week when President Trump915allowed spiteful and small-minded mentality to get in the way916of a larger mission. And he divided this Congress, and he917divided the American people into those who were informed and918those who were misled. He once again treated a very serious919situation in an unserious way. We need to defend democracy. And920remember, while the President is Commander-in-Chief, he is not921a dictator and not a king, and Congress must be informed, and922that decision to deploy U.S. forces must meet a higher923standard. We owe that to our sons and daughters in uniform, and924we owe it to their families.925    We do not want the U.S. military acting on the basis of926some alternate reality that has no basis in fact, or on cooked-927up intelligence, and that has happened before. There has to be928someone in that circle, in the Gang of Eight, who was not929afraid to point out to the President that he might be mistaken.930And to be completely honest, there is very little risk today931than anything Trump says would be challenged by a Republican932Member because they seem to be unwilling to do so.933    In a press conference yesterday, Senate Majority Leader934Thune could not even answer basic questions about the attacks935because he had not been fully informed. In fact, it became936apparent that there was more communication between Trump and937the officials in Iran than there was between U.S. elected938officials in this government. At present, Members of Congress939only have access to Defense Intelligence Agency after action940battle damage assessment. Having read that battle damage941assessment, there seems to be great difference, huge942difference, between what the President has told us and what the943Defense Intelligence Agency says about those same attacks.944    Again, I do not want this to reflect on the current945Chairman of the Subcommittee or the current Ranking Member.946They do serious work, bipartisan work, and I greatly appreciate947that because it is rare. But those were facts that I just948wanted to get on the record. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.949    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. I now recognize the950gentleman from Arizona, Mr. Crane, for 5 minutes.951    Mr. Crane. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this952hearing today. Thank you to our panelists for coming.953    It is interesting when I looked up to find out whether954Representative Lynch, who just went off on the President for955not notifying Congress, I could not find any public comments of956him condemning the Obama Administration for bombing Iraq,957Syria, or Yemen without notifying Congress. So, I would just958say, if you are going to be critical, at least be consistent. I959also wanted to say thank you to you gentlemen for coming. Thank960you for your service. My staff and I recently toured Camp961Navajo in Arizona. We had a great experience out there and962really appreciate everybody who represents and serves out963there. Mr. Mamaux, is that how you say it?964    Mr. Mamaux. Mamaux, Mr. Congressman.965    Mr. Crane. Mr. Mamaux, based on the information I could966find, it looks like the National Guard State Partnership967Program supports roughly 25 African nations. Does that sound968about right?969    Mr. Mamaux. That is correct, to my knowledge, yes.970    Mr. Crane. The program provides tactical training, correct?971    Mr. Mamaux. It certainly can encompass that, yes.972    Mr. Crane. Do you vet or disqualify participants in this973training, or do you simply train whoever State Department sends974your way?975    Major General Edwards. Thank you for the question, Mr.976Congressman. The vetting piece is an interesting component of977this, and it makes sure that America's sons and daughters are,978in fact, safe when we have these partnership engagements.979    Mr. Crane. Thank you. I am going to read you guys a list of980National Guard units and their deployments, and I would like to981see if any of you can tell me what they have in common. Indiana982National Guard deployed to Niger in 2017, D.C. Guard deployed983to Burkina Faso in 2018, Michigan National Guard deployed to984Sierra Leone in 2024, and the Wyoming National Guard deployed985to Tunisia in 2004. Either of the generals, would you like to986take a stab at what they have in common?987    Major General Edwards. Go ahead, Congressman.988    Mr. Crane. All these nations experience military coups at989some point after U.S. military training: Niger coup in 2023,990Burkina Faso coup in 2022, Sierra Leone attempted coup in 2023,991and Tunisia coup in 2021. Can we put up the image please?992    That is U.S. Army Captain Michael Tu, on the left,993Commander 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in support of State994Partnership Program with Niger Special Forces Commander,995Brigadier General Moussa Barmou, to the right, who conducted a996coup in 2023. Obviously, you guys, I am sure you are well aware997that the American people are getting pretty tired of some of998our efforts overseas leading to increased volatility in regions999like this. And I know that you guys are just trying to do your1000jobs. And when I talked to the some of you guys in my office1001just yesterday, I realized that you are good men. You are1002trying to serve your country, and, like when I served in the1003military, you guys follow orders like I did. Can you tell me1004what, if anything, are you guys doing to make sure that when1005you go in and train some of these partner states or countries,1006it does not lead to whoever you are training going ahead and1007launching a coup? I will start with you, Major General Edwards.1008    Major General Edwards. Thank you for the question,1009Congressman. I guess what I would start with is, all our1010activities are in line with the geographic combatant1011commanders' cooperation strategy, so we take a lead from them.1012All our events are coordinated with their international affairs1013folks, their security cooperation goals, and they are the1014experts on the region. While our soldiers and airmen do have1015some experience, historical experience, all our activities and1016events are harmonized with the GCC. So, in the case of----1017    Mr. Crane. I understand that, sir. But does it feel to you,1018looking at the record that I just presented to you, go ahead,1019can you poke holes in any of what I just read you?1020    Major General Edwards. With respect, Congressman, the only1021thing I would offer is the State Partnership Program is one1022tool available to----1023    Mr. Crane. Right. I understand there are several other1024tools, but does it bother you that often when we send our units1025in to train some of these countries and partner forces, these1026partner forces often take the training that we are giving them1027and launch coups against their elected governments? I yield1028back.1029    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. I now recognize----1030    Mr. Crane. Can you answer the question?1031    Mr. Timmons. I am sorry.1032    Major General Edwards. What I am certainly concerned about,1033Congressman, is a program that is designed to promote regional1034stability and when regional stability may not follow that, but1035as I would say, SPP is not the sole factor that may contribute1036to that. That is all I would say in response, sir.1037    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. I now recognize the gentleman from1038Virginia, Mr. McGuire, for 5 minutes.1039    Mr. McGuire. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our1040witnesses for being here today. You know, we would not have a1041country without our men and women who protect our freedom at1042home and abroad, so to all of you, thank you for your service.1043As a veteran myself, I see this as a way to continue service to1044our country.1045    The Virginia National Guard, by the way, has been in1046partnership with Tajikistan for over 22 years, I think, and the1047relationship has benefited all parties and has resulted in1048shared subject-matter expertise during 200 military-to-military1049engagements. Those engagements helped counterterrorism, deter1050violent extremism, expand emergency response capabilities,1051develop professionalism among leaders and staff, and promote1052shared values and national sovereignty and security. As of last1053year, Virginia is now partnering with Finland as well, and,1054General, I think you mentioned the Cyber Shield exercise in1055Virginia Beach. I actually was there witnessing 13 countries,1056and it was amazing what they can do, and obviously, God forbid1057we need to have that collaboration. That was great.1058    You know, one thing, I, when I was talking with the folks1059in Finland, they called themselves a frontline country, so I1060would say, General--I am sorry, if I cannot say your name1061right--is it Edwards? Why would they call themselves a1062frontline country?1063    Major General Edwards. They have the largest land border1064with the Russian Federation, so they view that as their1065frontier.1066    Mr. McGuire. Yes, and Finland has closed their border ever1067since they joined NATO because Russia has weaponized1068immigration, and I believe that is what is happening in our1069Southern border, and thank God we have got folks like you1070making sure that we can secure that border and keep Americans1071safe. Major General Edwards, how would you describe the1072benefits that Virginia, the United States, and Finland may1073expect to see as a result of this new partnership with Finland?1074    Major General Edwards. Thank you for the question. I think1075I described one of the contextual benefits earlier. The fact1076that they are collaborating with a partner that has that front1077line, as you described, living in that hybrid gray zone space,1078I think that provides a useful context and an environment to1079help provide the realism needed for Virginia National Guard1080units. The other thing I would say is that I have heard General1081Ring talk about, Adjutant General for Virginia, is the1082opportunity to employ portions of the 29th Infantry Division,1083which is between Virginia and Maryland, to conduct Arctic1084operations and, you know, whether it be the command post or on1085the ground level, in partnership with the Finnish military. So,1086those are two vignettes, I guess, I would offer that help1087provide readiness improvements for the Virginia National Guard.1088    Mr. McGuire. I just spent a day at Fort Pickett with1089General Ring. I think he is doing an excellent job, and he1090probably should write a book about the 29th ID. I think they1091have a very storied, a very patriotic history. Major General1092Stilwell, the United States and Colombia have recently had some1093disagreements over deportation flights. Has this impacted your1094operations with them?1095    Major General Stilwell. No, sir. It has not altered or1096amended any of our plans, any of our engagements. Many of our1097engagements are at the company grades, senior-field grade, or,1098excuse me, middle-field grade levels, so those engagements have1099continued to go on just as normal. We have not seen any1100appreciable change in the relationship between the State of1101South Carolina, SOUTHCOM, or the Republic of Colombia.1102    Mr. McGuire. Okay. I have got a question for anyone up1103here. If one of these partnership nations begins to work1104against American interests, is there a plan to sever that1105partnership?1106    Mr. Mamaux. Thank you for the question, Congressman.1107Severance is not something that the SPP has a mechanism for now1108because we have never had to use it. I can give you some1109examples of Venezuela, which, obviously, is no longer a1110favorable nation and has not been for some time. What happens1111in those country partnerships, Mr. Representative, is they1112become dormant. So, there are no more funds, there is no more1113training, there is no more allocation of American talent,1114treasure, or material that flows to those partner nations, and1115they become dormant, for lack of a better term.1116    Mr. McGuire. That makes sense, and last question is, for1117the partners that we do have and then we have a good1118relationship, how is the funding? Do we have enough funding for1119those relationships?1120    Mr. Mamaux. Thank you for the question. The funding, I1121think, is an issue where we have a true partnership,1122specifically with the various components that we have already1123listed here before, but the funding is a both-sides-of-the-1124coin-type deal, right? We have some funding that we put toward1125capabilities. The partner countries have funding that puts1126toward capabilities. A highlight, I think, would be the State1127of Vermont and the Country of Austria where they both opened1128separate, but sort of similar centers, sort of you come to1129visit me, I come to visit you, and that is just a great1130highlight of what this looks like for actual burden sharing1131with true partnerships across the SPP.1132    Mr. McGuire. Thank you. I yield back.1133    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. In closing, I want to thank our1134witnesses once again for their testimony today. I now yield to1135Ranking Member Subramanyam for his closing remarks.1136    Mr. Subramanyam. Thank you. Thank you so much to our1137witnesses for coming today and for all your work and all you1138are doing for our country. I think the SPP program shows that1139not only are you focused on defending our Nation and our1140states, and you are also focused on seeing how we can be better1141all the time and using that collaboration and that diplomacy1142through the SPP program to strengthen ties with countries1143around the world. And, you know, something was mentioned1144earlier about, you know, regime change. I think these programs1145have, in pretty much every case, predated quite a bit some of1146those regime changes, and just because the National Guard is1147there does not mean the National Guard was the reason for that1148regime change.1149    I think what is happening here with those programs, we are1150simply working with every country that is willing to work with1151us, and that makes sense to work with, to try to improve our1152own defenses as well as to work collaboratively with them. And1153as mentioned, you know, in another meeting with some of the1154witnesses, these collaborations have ended in really important1155ties and even individual relationships that have been crucial1156to our diplomacy with some of these countries and around the1157world. And so, I think it is a great program. It is something1158that Congress should continue to support.1159    And one last thing. It is not related, but I think I have1160to bring it up. You know, the recent events in California with1161the National Guard being deployed there, you know, it was the1162first time in 60 years that a President has deployed the1163National Guard without request from the state's Governor, and1164it was unnecessary and escalatory. And one of the things that1165really bothers me about that is, you know, our folks in the1166National Guard are doing their jobs, and they are serving our1167country, and by the time that they were deployed, those1168protests had been under control, and it was completely1169unnecessary. And what ended up happening was, according to one1170report, the troops reportedly arrived without lodging or1171Federal funds for food, water, or other supplies, and it was1172unclear whether additional troops would stay or how enough1173portable bathrooms would be supplied. And only 300 troops were1174actually deployed, and the rest were sitting unused in Federal1175buildings without orders.1176    And, you know, I think what was happening was, we were1177making a political point when the President sent the National1178Guard there, and the upshot of it was it cost taxpayers tens of1179millions of dollars. I think one estimate put it at $1341180million, and so it was completely unnecessary. And I think the1181weaponization of the National Guard and of our military is1182wrong, and we should stand up against it. So, I will yield1183back. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.1184    Mr. Timmons. We will stand at recess for one second.1185    [Recess.]1186    Mr. Timmons. Thank you. And I now recognize the gentlewoman1187from Florida, Mrs. Luna for 5 minutes.1188    Mrs. Luna. Hey, Generals. How are you doing? Major? Nice to1189see you guys. First and foremost, thank you so much for coming1190in today. You know, I love it when we get lectured on the Guard1191from people that have never served in the Guard and/or provide1192context. I am just saying that. Not to ask you to respond to1193that.1194    Anyways, I wanted to give you time, though, today to1195explain to me exactly the purpose of the National Guard and1196your mission because I think a lot of people overlook how1197effective the Guard has been, especially in mission readiness.1198Specifically, in regards to there has been a lot of talk with1199DOGE, but from what I gather, the Guard has been doing great.1200Specifically, with limited resources, we would like to get you1201more but being able to accomplish the mission at hand. So, I am1202actually going to just give this to you, Major General. I have1203about 4 minutes and 21 seconds. Respond, Major General1204Stilwell, if you want to jump in, but this floor is yours.1205    Major General Stilwell. Thank you very much for the1206question, and I answer this question a lot in our communities1207because a lot of people do not necessarily know what the role1208of the National Guard is, but the National Guard is the combat1209reserve of the active Army and the active Air Force. We have a1210Federal mission set, which is to deploy abroad and in the1211homeland, and to engage with the enemies of the United States1212in combat and win. We are man trained and equipped by the1213Federal Government for that mission set. We also have a second1214state mission set, a corresponding mission set, which is to1215respond to emergencies, crises, or other catastrophes at the1216direction of the Governor of the several states. And in that1217capacity, we are the only military organization that has that1218dual state role and operates under state active duty for and on1219behalf of the Governor and the citizens of the several states.1220    So we are, more or less, the Swiss army knife of the1221Department of Defense. We do a lot of things that other parts1222of the military simply cannot do because of legal restraints1223and because of proximity. One of the great strengths of the1224National Guard is that our soldiers are in the communities, and1225because they are in the communities, they have great support1226from the population, but they are also there and ready to1227respond in their communities when there is a crisis. So, I1228could go on for hours talking about the National Guard and our1229role and who we are, but I will leave it at that, ma'am, and1230answer any additional questions that you have.1231    Mrs. Luna. Excuse me. They turned off my mic. Major General1232Edwards, I know that I actually had the privilege of talking1233with you prior to this hearing. You have a lot of good things1234to say about specifically what the Guard has been able to do in1235regards to back filling for active duty and maybe reserves. Can1236you please elaborate on certain programs and also where you1237need help from Congress? You had figured this would be more of1238a bipartisan issue. I apologize if people made it partisan1239while you guys are being questioned.1240    Major General Edwards. Well, I think General Stilwell1241summed it up quite well, and especially in his position as an1242adjutant general, who actually is responsible for the manning,1243training, and equipping of his formations, both Air and Army.1244But if I were to just, kind of, maybe complement his words, you1245know, we are citizen-soldier force, over 80-some-odd-percent of1246our soldiers and airmen, they have a civilian career outside of1247uniform. Using myself as an example, I worked at HP for 251248years before retiring, and through that entire time, I was a1249citizen-soldier, working at HP and also serving in the Army1250National Guard, and in my case, in the State of Oregon for1251those 25 years.1252    Mrs. Luna. You and I both were at Oregon.1253    Major General Edwards. Excellent.1254    Mrs. Luna. So, former Guard member here.1255    Major General Edwards. Excellent.1256    Mrs. Luna. Just real quick. What do you guys need? If you1257could do a magic wand on an appropriation request to help the1258National Guard, what would it be? We only have about a minute1259left.1260    Major General Edwards. I am not going to cite a number, but1261I will cite----1262    Mrs. Luna. Smart man.1263    Major General Edwards [continuing]. Predictability.1264    Mrs. Luna. Okay.1265    Major General Edwards. Predictability, and coming back to1266the State Partnership Program, which I think is, you know, our1267focus today, the ability to properly plan and execute the1268engagements of the variety that I described to Congressman1269Cloud earlier, that requires time, and knowing you have the1270resources and in time to have that exercise or that event is1271key. So that predictability is that would be the one thing I1272would ask for your help with, Representative, to ensure1273predictable funding.1274    Mrs. Luna. Got it. Okay. And then I just have one more1275question. So, I got badly hit with hurricanes this past1276hurricane season, and, obviously, we have been pushing really,1277fairly hard with the Secretary of Defense for a Guard unit's1278Special Tactics Squadron. I know that that is Air National1279Guard purview, but you guys are the Guards, so I just figured I1280would ask you while you are here. I mean, since when does the1281Guard say no to another STS unit? You guys are obviously in1282support of more funding and more bases, but would you support1283an additional Guard unit, just out of curiosity.1284    Major General Stilwell. So, I would be ill-advised to1285answer for the enterprise writ large. We are always looking for1286additional capacity. Being the Adjutant General of the State of1287South Carolina, I am very familiar with hurricanes, and what we1288find, again, is that we have been successful in working with1289what we have. If you come to me and you tell me, I am going to1290give you additional force structure, and I am going to give you1291additional capacity, and I am going to give you additional1292funding, then I would say thank you very much.1293    Mrs. Luna. Well, thank you, gentlemen. We appreciate you1294guys being here. Honestly, it has been a pleasure. You guys1295make me miss the uniform, but I am glad you guys are here1296serving continuously. Thank you.1297    Mr. Timmons. Thank you for that. I appreciate the Ranking1298Member allowing us to yield to Mrs. Luna. I now yield to the1299Ranking Member again for as much time as he needs.1300    Mr. Subramanyam. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to,1301based on a previous comment, cite an article by the former1302number two of the National Guard, Randy Manner. He said, ``I1303led the National Guard and regular Army units, and using the1304military to intimidate Americans is 100 percent wrong.'' And I1305will enter to the record with unanimous consent a Fox News1306article entitled, by Randy Manner, ``I led the National Guard1307and regular Army units, and using the military to intimidate1308Americans is 100 percent wrong.'' And in it, he says a lot of1309important things, which is that, ``by setting this precedent,1310we are taking away our military readiness, and we are instead1311using our own military against our own civilians, our own1312people, and so I think this is a dangerous precedent.'' And I1313agree with Mr. Randy Manner that it is wrong, so I yield back.1314    Mr. Timmons. Without objection, so ordered.1315    I now recognize myself for closing remarks.1316    I guess, first, law and order is important. Keeping1317property safe, keeping people safe is important, and when1318elected heads of our individual states are unwilling to protect1319life and property, if the President wants to step in, he has1320the authority, and I would argue the obligation, to do so.1321Second note, as far as I am aware, two Republicans disapproved1322of the President's decision to strategically bomb Iran's1323nuclear capacity, and has, according to the Iranian1324intelligence unit, set them back years, if not decades. Ninety-1325nine percent of the House and Senate Republicans fully approved1326it and embraced it. Interestingly, about half of my colleagues1327across the aisle in the Senate and the House agreed with the1328President's decision. And finally, in the eight years of the1329Obama Administration, 27,000 bombs were dropped on seven1330countries. I could make arguments that the 2001 AUMF applied to1331some of those, but I cannot make that argument for all. So,1332again, I think my colleague from Arizona said it best: we have1333got to be consistent with our critique of different1334administrations.1335    All right. Back to the subject at hand. We talked about it1336a little bit, but I want to expand on it. The National Guard is1337very unique in that people can serve for decades in a single1338Guard unit. My friend and mentor, General Butch Bowers, I think1339he is at 45 years, and, you know, he has been to Colombia1340dozens and dozens of times. He has built bonds with his fellow1341officers in the Colombian military. And if you think about it,1342all the State Department officials, they come, they go. They1343are there for a year or two. Elected officials come and go, but1344the military leadership of different countries and of different1345Guard units lasts, and those relationships last, and I think1346that is something that is extremely valuable that we cannot get1347anywhere else. I mean, you know, even tours of duty for the1348military, you are there for a year, two, three years at most.1349    So, the National Guard and the State Partnership Program is1350really one of the only areas that we build lasting1351relationships. We build the trust and the respect of our1352counterparts, and I think that that has immense value and that1353we need to appreciate that and to continue to invest in it. I1354have seen firsthand the value of the State Partnership Program1355in South Carolina. I am one of four Members of Congress still1356serving in the Guard. I am a captain, most are very senior,1357but, you know, it is really just incredible, as General1358Stilwell said, there are not many opportunities to have real-1359world training exercises where you are going to be forced to go1360hours and hours away and engage in real-world training. I mean,1361we just do not get this kind of opportunity in many other1362capacities, and the bang for the buck is enormous.1363    So, I think that we need to make sure that everyone in1364Congress appreciates the importance of the investment we are1365making. The return on the investment is enormous relative to1366the cost, and I will do everything I can to continue to1367prioritize our spending on the State Partnership Program and1368expand it wherever possible. And, gentlemen, I cannot thank you1369enough for taking the time to be with us today. And I said 901370minutes, and I am 17 minutes early, so look at that.1371    With that, and without objection, all Members have five1372legislative days within which to submit materials and1373additional written questions for the witnesses, which will be1374forwarded to the witnesses.1375    If there is no further business, without objection, the1376Subcommittee stands adjourned.1377    [Whereupon, at 3:13 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]13781379                                 [all]