Photo By Sgt. Allison Gilstrap | Georgia Defence Force Sgt. Paata Mchedlidze, a team leader representing the Georgian...... read more read more
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The Georgia Army National Guard’s 2025 State Best Warrior Competition is underway in training areas spanning the Peach State. This year’s competition marks the second year in a row that soldiers from the country of Georgia compete alongside their American counterparts.
Cpl. Dachi Matiashvili and Sgt. Paata Mchedlidze represent the Georgia Defence Forces in this year’s competition, occurring March 9-14, 2025. The addition of the Georgian team is the latest collaboration between the Georgia National Guard and Georgia Defence Forces.
“[The Georgian Defence Forces] learn our tactics and our practices,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Nesnick, joint staff sergeant major, Georgia National Guard.
“We are able to learn from the Georgians as much as they have learned from us. It has helped strengthen our strategic alliance as it refers to the security cooperation of the United States and the country of Georgia.”
The partnership between the Georgia National Guard and Georgian Defence Forces began in October 1994 under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program. For more than 30 years, the partnership has fostered national security and interoperability between U.S. and Georgian military forces.
The State Best Warrior Competition is one of frequent collaborations between the Georgia National Guard and Georgian Defence Forces to maintain their partnership. These training opportunities are especially important for the country of Georgia as it continues to strengthen its defense capabilities in response to regional security challenges.
“It’s very crucial to continue this partnership that we have, and to continue our engagements and efforts into the future,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Koba Oshkhereli, general staff command sergeant major of the Georgian Defence Forces. “We are working in many dimensions, starting from institutional building. We will continue our friendship and cooperation with the Georgia Army National Guard.”
While military training is the focus, building and maintaining interpersonal bonds between both countries forces is a lethal byproduct of the partnership. These connections create mutual trust and respect, essential for working together in times of need and sustaining the partnership for decades to come.
Both nations continue to grow stronger and better prepared for security challenges around the world through shared training, interoperability, and mutual respect. Moreover, the partnership has produced lifelong friendships wherein Soldiers work together toward goodwill and global stability.
“We have worked together for thirty years,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Mamuka Kapianidze, Training and Military Education Command, Georgian Defence Forces. “Our standards are very high, and working with the Georgia Army National Guard not only provides us with training, but also the education we need to meet NATO standards.”
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.12.2025 19:30 |
| Story ID: | 492560 |
| Location: | RINGGOLD , GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 161 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Best warrior competition honors three decades of US-Georgian military partnership, by SGT Allison Gilstrap, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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