Courtesy Photo | Members of the Maine National Guard and Armed Forces of Montenegro took part in a...... read more read more
In August 2022, Maine’s state partner, Montenegro, requested assistance with a cyber-attack affecting their government computer network, the Maine National Guard arrived to provide support. Eighteen soldiers and airmen from across the Maine National Guard arrived in Montenegro one week after the call for help. Similar to a domestic disaster response, the cyber defenders responded quickly. The team was composed of individuals with specific skill sets, many of whom worked together in the past and some having been in Montenegro before.
Maine’s long-standing relationship with the country of Montenegro was established in 2006 through the State Partnership Program (SPP). SPP was developed in 1993, pairing state National Guards with foreign partner militaries to enhance relationships and strengthen national and global security. It was initially envisaged to partner with former Soviet states, but due to its success, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency the program has grown far beyond that. The State Partnership Program was influential in preparing Montenegrin armed forces for becoming full members in NATO in 2017.
Over the past 15 years, Maine and Montenegro have participated in many military-to-military events, further strengthening the partnership and relationships. During the recent 30-year anniversary of the SPP program conference, Gen. Milley, stated “You can surge personnel, you can surge equipment. What you cannot surge is trust. The SPP relationships developed over these last decades have built that trust.”
That trust was critical for the quick response to August 23, 2022, when Montenegro’s government computer networks suffered unprecedented cyber-attacks. The request for assistance from the State Partnership Program extended from the Ministry of Defense and multiple civilian ministries. January 2023 marked the 10-year partnership between the two Cyber Teams. There were visits in both January and June, which included education on a variety of cyber hygiene topics, discussion of potential staffing and suggestions of equipment posturing, which would alleviate pressures faced by the Montenegrin cyber staff. Maine National Guard is targeting a mission to support a $4.5M network upgrade. Mainers are advising on the installation, network design, and program management sides, gaining hands-on experience as they walk with their allies.
With the sensitivity of the cyber operations, it requires a strong relationship between the state partners to accomplish these tasks. “The success of our mission is due to the openness and candor afforded to the Maine State Partnership Program,” says Master Sgt. Zach Poulin of the Maine Air National Guard.
Mainers gain valuable experience, too. The Mainers who participate in this program find that their skills are enhanced and put to the test at every visit. They learn how our allies conduct missions differently and bring some lessons learned home. Especially in cyber, Mainers are also exposed to real adversarial tactics, which makes Mainers more relevant in the global fight and more ready to defend the homeland.
Along with opportunities to provide assistance and training, Maine and Montenegro work together during large-scale NATO exercises including Saber Guardian and Immediate Response, improving interoperability. Through the State Partnership Program’s 88 partnerships with nearly 100 countries around the world, the National Guard is assisting the United States with global and national security, and Maine is playing its part with NATO ally, Montenegro.
| Date Taken: | 09.21.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.19.2023 15:37 |
| Story ID: | 456151 |
| Location: | PODGORICA, ME |
| Web Views: | 185 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Even in the world of cyber the Maine National Guard is "Always Ready, Always There", by MAJ Lena Witham, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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