Senior leaders and security cooperation personnel from across the War Department gathered for the 2026 National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program conference in Atlanta, Aug. 13.
The goal of the annual conference was to align activities and engagements with National Defense Strategy Lines of Effort, administration arms transfer reform objectives and rigorous data-driven evaluation to prove return on investment for the American taxpayer.
In addition to DOW, the event included speakers from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Defense Security Cooperation University and the National Guard Bureau’s International Affairs Directorate, including the assessment, monitoring and evaluation, foreign disclosure and integration teams.
Throughout the event, speakers tied ongoing SPP achievements to the four NDS LOEs: defend the Homeland; deter China in the Pacific region through strength, not confrontation; increase burden-sharing with U.S. allies and partners; and supercharge the U.S. defense industrial base.
Keynote speaker Christopher Mamaux, deputy assistant secretary of war for security cooperation, highlighted the program’s critical role in operationalizing national security objectives.
“As we look to the future, we must transition our partnerships from a default of security dependence to operational independence,” Mamaux said. “We want to focus our energy on developing model allies, partners who are willing to spend on their own defense and contribute meaningfully to regional security.”
Mamaux emphasized the asymmetric advantage built over decades of state-level engagement. “With 117 partner nations, we have built a network of trust over decades that our strategic competitors cannot hope to replicate,” he said.
David Ferrari, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency advisor to the director, focused on the intersection of the SPP and the defense industrial ecosystem under Executive Order 14383, the America First Arms Transfer Strategy. Ferrari characterized guard personnel in the field as an “early-warning system” for foreign military sales requirements.
“This is exactly where the SPP’s persistent engagement is a strategic enabler, as you are in these countries year after year and can help partners identify what they need before they submit a request,” he said, noting that this operational alignment creates a reinforcing cycle between procurement and capability development.
“As we improve FMS processes to help partners buy more U.S. equipment, we are directly scaling the arena for SPP activities,” Ferrari said.
He concluded with a direct call to action for guard leaders to leverage partner investment to strengthen mutual readiness.
“As you conduct your persistent engagements this year, look at your partners through the lens of [the America First Arms Transfer Strategy],” he said. “Help us identify where partner capital can invest in mutual capacity, and help us transition them to modern, standard U.S. systems. We cannot reindustrialize the arsenal of freedom without the guard leading the way on the ground.”
Regarding workforce development, Sonya Finley, the dean of workforce education and development at the Defense Security Cooperation University, outlined key milestones in the professionalization of security cooperation.
Under DSCU, the SPP has been officially designated as a distinct functional area within the War Department’s Security Cooperation Workforce Certification 2.0 Program — a major step toward codifying and standardizing global partnership management across the joint force.
Conference sessions also underscored the importance of maintaining high-quality data processes. Recent policy guidance has institutionalized assessment, monitoring and evaluation as a mandatory mechanism to measure performance, demonstrate accountability and justify resourcing for SPP activities.
Mamaux reinforced that strategic alignment applies directly to resource stewardship.
“We must prove that our resources are aligned with the NDS lines of effort and provide a very clear return on our investment,” he said. “Every dollar you spend across the program must be logical, transparent and benefit the American people.”
Presenters highlighted real-world examples of guard activities that have delivered strategic outcomes. In one instance, military planners maximized space on existing training transport to deliver equipment to Albania, achieving a critical delivery while eliminating commercial transportation costs.
In another example of interstate collaboration, when Bulgaria’s state partner, the Tennessee National Guard, identified a requirement for Stryker platforms outside its force structure, it coordinated with the Washington National Guard to fill the gap seamlessly.
Regarding the program’s future expansion, Mamaux noted that growth will remain deliberate and value driven.
“Under our current strategic policy, we anticipate accepting only two to three new partnerships per year,” he said. “Every pairing must offer a clear benefit to United States national security interests and align with the NDS.”