The Illinois National Guard has entered into a State Partnership Program (SPP) with the Portuguese Armed Forces, according to an announcement from the National Guard Bureau and the U.S. Department of Defense.
"We are incredibly proud of the role the Illinois National Guard has played in security cooperation around the world," said Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. "This new partnership with Portugal offers an extension of that global reach as well as new opportunities for the State of Illinois."
Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, Adjutant General of Illinois and Commander of the Illinois National Guard, expressed optimism about leveraging their experience with SPP to enhance security cooperation with Portugal. He highlighted existing areas where both nations' armed forces will collaborate to improve interoperability, global deployability, combat-projection capability, and organizational capacity.
"Our cooperation with the United States is long-standing, credible, and strong. We are very honored to be establishing this partnership between Illinois National Guard and the Portuguese Armed Forces," stated the Portuguese Ministry of Defense.
Both founding members of NATO, the United States and Portugal share a commitment to global security rooted in decades of partnership. The strategic location and contributions of Portugal have made it vital in safeguarding transatlantic security.
Governor Pritzker endorsed this new partnership by noting that approximately 12,000 Portuguese-Americans reside in Illinois, including over 13 percent in Sammons Point in Kankakee County.
Historically linked since before America's founding, there is also a notable connection between Illinois and Madeira Island from where some early immigrants originated.
Potential collaboration areas through this SPP include enhancing cyber capabilities against national threats; improving crisis response; leveraging strengths in agriculture; conducting environmental research; and developing space capabilities.
The U.S. National Guard Bureau's SPP began from a 1991 initiative in Europe aimed at pairing U.S. states with emerging nations post-Soviet Bloc dissolution. It serves as a cost-effective program managed by state adjutants general under foreign policy guidance while supporting defense goals globally.