The Defense Ministry has discussed strengthening military ties with the Montana National Guards of the United States.
The meeting was held at the Defense Ministry and was attended by the Minister of Defense, Ghassan Maumoon.
Adjutant General of Montana National Guards Major General John Peter Hronek II and his team attended the discussion.
According to the Defense Ministry, discussions were focused on ongoing engagements and future collaborations.
The Maldives military maintains a close relationship with the Montana National Guard. Under a military engagement framework signed in September 2020, an agreement was reached in April 2022 to provide opportunities from the Montana National Guard’s state partnership program.
Established in 1636, the Army National Guard is the oldest component of the US Armed Forces and serves as the primary combat reserve of the US Army. The control of each state's national guards rests with the state government and the federal government.
The National Guard must support the federal government in times of war declared by the President, Secretary of Defense or Congress. They must also go into service when the state governor declares an emergency.
Most of the active members of the National Guards are civilian employees. The reserve force currently has 443,543 troops. Montana has more than 4,000 troops.
