Michigan National Guard Hosts Sierra Leone to Strengthen New Partnership

LANSING, Mich. - The partnership between the Michigan National Guard and Sierra Leone marked another step forward in the National Guard's State Partnership Program. The relationship, which officially began Sept. 12, 2024, focuses on building military-to-military cooperation in logistics and interoperability. To sustain that progress, two representatives from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces traveled to Michigan in early December for a weeklong engagement focused on facility management, logistics processes, and relationship-building.

"This has been an ongoing effort to support the development of the partnership," said Brian Brace, the Michigan National Guard's AFRICOM desk officer who helped facilitate the partnership. "Our instructor corps, our maintenance facility and our logisticians all play a role in their growth."

The Michigan Army National Guard's 246th Transportation Battalion served as the host unit, guiding the tour, answering questions and sharing lessons learned from years of fleet management and sustainment operations.

A key component of the visit included a tour of the Michigan Army National Guard's Combined Support Maintenance Shop in Lansing. The facility provides equipment sustainment, vehicle painting and maintenance support for units across Michigan. The Sierra Leone representatives toured the shop to learn how the Michigan National Guard organizes its maintenance workforce.

"Establishing the relationship is the top priority," said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Engel, a liaison from the 246th. "We're helping them figure out the best way to manage and maintain the equipment they now have."

The visiting delegation included Warrant Officer 1 Alex G. Sama, a logistics chief, and Maj. Edward K. John. The group discussed organizational structures, shop workflow, supply chain oversight and equipment forecasting.

"At the beginning of any partnership, we treat it like a marathon, not a sprint," Brace said. "You meet the partner where they are. You make progress one step at a time."

Michigan's approach reflects the broader goals of the State Partnership Program. Established in 1993, the program pairs U.S. states with partner nations to strengthen security cooperation, share best practices and build enduring relationships. Michigan has long been a leader in the program. Its partnership with Latvia, one of the original post-Cold War pairings, has grown into one of the National Guard's most enduring relationships.

The State Partnership Program is built on long-term, person-to-person connections that span years of cooperation. Many of its most successful efforts, including Liberia's Operation Onward Liberty, began with simple conversations between soldiers sharing knowledge.

"A big part of this program is the relationships," Brace said. "The strategic goal is ensuring the United States has a positive influence on foreign militaries. You never know when we may need one another in the future."

Since September 2024, Michigan and Sierra Leone have completed 11 engagements under the State Partnership Program. Each event has allowed Sierra Leone to see Michigan's processes up close and better understand how a mature logistics enterprise operates. The partnership also benefits Michigan by building cultural fluency and reinforcing readiness to operate globally when called upon.

"I am going to bring back so many experiences from this trip," Sama said. "We are on a mission to acquire knowledge from this partnership. We will share what we have seen with our colleagues and logisticians. We are learning how you manage these facilities and how we can improve ours."

John said the partnership is a timely opportunity for Sierra Leone's military.

"First of all, the State Partnership Program is a huge opportunity for Sierra Leone and Michigan," he said. "We see the value, and we are motivated to leverage this connection. It is the right step in the right direction at the right time."

Looking ahead, Michigan and Sierra Leone anticipate continued exchanges and growing opportunities for cooperation. The visit represents another early step toward building a lasting, mutually beneficial partnership.

http://www.nationalguard.mil

https://www.facebook.com/TheNationalGuard

https://x.com/USNationalGuard

https://www.nationalguard.mil/Leadership/Joint-Staff/J-5/International-Affairs-Division/State-Partnership-Program/