Minnesota NG Commander visits MOD

The General is on an official visit to the Croatian Armed Forces, namely the Army, whose members together with members of the Minnesota NG these days participate in traditional “GUARDEX” exercise. General Nash was accompanied on the meeting by the U.S. Ambassador to Croatia James B. Foley.
The meeting was an opportunity to confirm several years of intensive and very successful cooperation through the US “State Partnership program”, in which Minnesota has been the partner state for Croatia since 1996. The cooperation in almost all functional areas, especially the cooperation through joint training of members of the Army and Minnesota NG was highlighted, as well as joint multinational CS OMLT team that participates in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Assistant Minister of Defence Lozančić said that members of the Croatian Armed Forces were extremely pleased with the possibility of joint training, and with experience and knowledge they acquire through engagement in the joint mentoring teams in Afghanistan, where these days 6^th joint mentoring team consisting of members of the Armed Forces and NG Minnesota was sent to ISAF. Also, given the experience in conducting training and mentoring of military forces, the Assistant Minister emphasized the possibility of conducting joint training, both for the Armed Forces and Minnesota NG and for the interested partner countries within the framework of NATO “Smart Defence” initiative. “We started with a joint Croatian-Czech pre-deployment training of Air Advisory Teams in the Zemunik Air Force Base as preparation for the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, for which other partner countries showed interest as well. This has been an initiative for which we have the support of the Supreme Allied Command Headquarter Europe, Lozančić highlighted.

General Nash, in his address stressed that they would continue with the activities of joint training and military exercises, emphasizing the immense contribution and high level of professionalism of the CAF members in ISAF mission in Afghanistan. “There are no open questions in bilateral cooperation between the U.S. and Croatia, and we hope to continue to note its upward trend, as until now”, Minnesota NG commander Major General Nash said.

During the meeting talks were also on Croatia’s efforts in establishing the regional stability, and cooperation within the A5 initiative, where it was especially emphasized the previous regional mentoring engagement in the School of Military Police in Afghanistan, where Croatia has been a leading nation. Two sides also discussed the exchange of experience on the inclusion of military capacities and forces during natural disasters and catastrophes and in helping civilian institutions, where the Minnesota NG participates with its resources across the U.S., and where further development of cooperation between the two partner countries is expected.

General Nash today also paid separate visit to the Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić.