On Friday, January 19, 2024, the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Program 2024 between the National Guard and the Armed Forces of the United States of America (USA) was signed at the Headquarters of the National Guard General Staff.

According to a relevant announcement by the National Guard General Staff, the Program was signed by the Director of the 4th Branch of GEEF, Colonel Alcibiades Alcibiadi, and the Defence Attaché, Colonel Kenneth C. Evans, on behalf of the US Armed Forces.

The Program entails a number of actions, including exercises and training both in Cyprus and the USA, focusing on special operations, Combat Casualty Care, maritime cooperation, and search and rescue missions. It also provides for the participation of National Guard Officers and NCOs in specialized schools and seminars in the US.

The signing of the Program is considered to be particularly beneficial, as it provides the possibility for National Guard personnel to train together with the US Armed Forces, thus promoting interoperability and the exchange of know-how, elements necessary for the conduct of operations.

It also expresses the commitment and will to upgrade regional and wider international civil-military cooperation with the aim of promoting security, as modern challenges and threats have been acknowledged as common and cross-border, therefore any action needs to be multilateral and multifaceted.

Also read: GEEF | Joint training of the National Guard and the Armed Forces of Armenia in Special Operations exercise “SILVER SPEAR – 2023”