Press Release
☷Kentucky Guard Hosts Ecuadorian Military for Leader Engagement
National Guard ( By Press Release office)
Feb 16,2024
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In Kentucky , some top leaders of the National Guard welcomed military personnel from Ecuador in an exchange program . Representatives from Ecuador ' s Army , Navy , and Air Force had the chance to see and learn about the Kentucky National Guard . The partnership between Ecuador and Kentucky has been going on since 1996 , and it helps both countries improve their ability to work together . During their visit , the Ecuadorians attended briefings by the Kentucky Army National Guard and Kentucky Emergency Management , visited the state capitol , and met Governor Andy Beshear . They also got to visit the 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville to learn about the Kentucky Air Guard ' s support for US military operations and its role during emergencies . Kentucky and Ecuador have faced similar challenges in recent years , such as civil unrest and flooding , so they also took the opportunity to meet with Lexington Fire Training Center leaders and see the rescue equipment and boats used by the fire department . Admiral Jaime Vela Erazo , chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces , was impressed by the capabilities he saw . The partnership between Kentucky and Ecuador is not just about technology and equipment , but also about learning from each other ' s military operations . Major General Haldane Lamberton , the adjutant general of Kentucky , believes that this sharing of information is beneficial for both sides . After visiting the Fire Academy , they took a helicopter tour over eastern Kentucky to see the areas that were hit hardest by the 2022 flooding . The discussions continued at the airport in Hazard , which was the command post during Kentucky ' s response to the disaster . At the end of the visit , Lamberton and Erazo signed a new agreement to continue the partnership until 2026 . Colonel Tim Starke , director of operations for the Kentucky Army National Guard , expressed his enjoyment of participating in the program and praised the opportunity it provided for the partners to meet and learn from the soldiers and airmen . Since 1996 , Kentucky National Guard members have been working with their counterparts in Ecuador through various activities like training exercises , engineering projects , medical collaborations , and cultural exchanges .
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