Granger applauds new relationship between Texas National Guard, Egyptian Armed Forces

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, applauded Monday’s announcement of a formalized partnership between the Texas National Guard and the Egyptian Armed Forces under the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) State Partnership Program (SPP).

“Today’s increasingly complex and challenging world requires countries to collaborate and build upon shared values, virtues, and security concerns,” Rep. Granger said. “The National Guard’s State Partnership Program helps our country maintain strong military alliances all over the world.”

In addition to Egypt, the Texas National Guard has two successful partnerships with the Czech Republic and the Republic of Chile.

“Through its pre-existing partnerships with the Czech Republic and Chile, Texas has proven itself a worthy steward of the State Partnership Program, and I am so pleased to see the Texas-Egypt relationship become the latest chapter in this important National Guard initiative,” Rep. Granger continued.

The partnership was affirmed Aug. 24 at Comp Mabry in Austin, Texas, with Texas Secretary of State Ruth R. Hughs; Maj. Gen. Tracy R. Norris, the adjutant general of Texas; and Egypt’s defense attaché to the United States, Maj. Gen. Abdelraouf A. Moussa in attendance, the U.S. National Guard said in a statement.

The National Guard said the partnership will benefit both entities through the conduct of exchanges and exercises in the areas of C-130 and F-16 flight maneuver and maintenance, cyber defense, logistics, special forces, homeland security response preparedness, military support to civilian authorities, and humanitarian and disaster assistance response.

“Today marks a positive step forward in the relationship between America and Egypt, a key ally in a critical corner of the world,” said Rep. Granger. “The Texas Guard’s experience, including past deployments to Egypt, makes Texas the perfect choice to strengthen this important relationship.”

The SPP was established by the DOD in 1993 and links a state’s National Guard with the armed forces of a partner country in a cooperative relationship following U.S. foreign policy goals, according to background information provided by Rep. Granger’s office. The National Guard said the SPP now includes partnerships with 84 nations around the world.