Cooperation between the Romanian Armed Force and the US National Guard, enhanced through new joint training projects

On Tuesday, September 8th, the Chief of the Romanian Defence Staff, General Gheorghiță Vlad, met, at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters, with General Thomas M. Carden, the Deputy Chief of the National Guard Bureau of the United States, and Major General David K. Pritchett, the Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard, who are paying an official visit to Romania.

The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation between the Romanian Armed Forces and the US National Guard, with emphasis on the long-standing partnership with the Alabama National Guard, the security situation in the wider Black Sea region, developments in the Euro-Atlantic area, and the implementation of decisions adopted at recent NATO |Summits.

The agenda also included identifying new opportunities for joint training and exchange of experience, as well as developing projects that meet current and future security requirements. The experience gained by the Romanian and American troops after having participated in international operations and missions serves as an important benchmark for joint training and increasing interoperability.

"The partnership with the Alabama National Guard has grown and strengthened alongside the Romanian Armed Forces. In over three decades of cooperation, we have progressed from exchanges of experience to complex training and projects that directly contribute to our forces' ability to operate jointly. The current security context compels us to look ahead and develop this relationship in areas relevant to collective defence and the strenghtening of the deterrence and defence posture on NATO's Eastern Flank," General Gheorghiță Vlad stated.

In his turn, the United States' Ambassador to Romania, Darryl Nirenberg, highlighted the importance of this cooperation for the strategic relationship between the two countries, and noted that "the 33-year partnership between the Alabama National Guard and Romania is a cornerstone of our strategic relationship, which demonstrates the power of long-term defence cooperation. Together, our forces are better prepared to face modern security challenges on NATO's eastern flank."

The itinerary of the visit to Romania includes activities in Bucharest, Sibiu and at the "Getica" National Joint Training Center in Cincu. General Thomas M. Carden is scheduled to hold meetings with the commander of the Headquarters Multinational Division South-East and the commander of the Headquarters Multinational Corps South-East. Major General David K. Pritchett will also meet with the chiefs of the Air Force Staff and Land Forces Staff, as well as the commander of the Joint Logistics Command.

The Press Office