Nebraska Guard Hosts Czech President, Celebrates Partnership

LINCOLN, Neb. - Czech President Petr Pavel visited the Nebraska Joint Force Headquarters Sept. 24 to discuss the Nebraska Guard's 33-year-old relationship with the Czech Armed Forces through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program.

Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly; Maj. Gen. Craig Strong, adjutant general of the Nebraska National Guard; and other senior Nebraska National Guard leaders, Soldiers and Airmen welcomed Pavel. It is believed to be the first time in the history of the Nebraska National Guard that the organization has hosted a head of state.

"This was truly a monumental event for the Nebraska National Guard," Strong said. "After 33 years of partnering with the Czech Armed Forces and working together to address the many common challenges we face in the world, to have the actual Czech head of state visit us here in Nebraska was such an honor."

During the two-hour visit, Pavel received briefings on the Nebraska National Guard's most recent engagements with the Czech Armed Forces along with information on planned future collaborations. He also learned more about how members of the Czech Armed Forces and the Nebraska National Guard are training together in such areas as cyber defense and aerial refueling.

Pavel was accompanied by Czech Ambassador to the United States Jakub Kulhanek, Czech diplomats, military leaders, governmental delegates and members of the Czech media.

"We are so pleased to have the President with us today," Kelly said during an official welcome attended by more than 100 Nebraska Soldiers, Airmen and civilian employees who lined the Joint Force Headquarters' three balconies. "I think if we were to go around and have everyone in this entire building tell us what their family heritage is, I suspect that one out of every three - if not more - would be of strong Czech heritage."

Historically, Czech roots run deep in Nebraska, which has the highest percentage of citizens, per capita, who claim Czech as their heritage. That heritage was part of the reason why Nebraska and Texas were chosen to form a partnership with the Czech Armed Forces in 1993 through the State Partnership Program.

Today, the Nebraska-Texas-Czech Republic partnership remains the only trilateral State Partnership Program effort in Europe.

Pavel said he was excited to visit the Nebraska National Guard, adding that the welcome he received at the Joint Force Headquarters rivaled the farewell he received when he left NATO after serving three years as chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

"But this is much better because it is a welcome. And it is a welcome in a country that is special to us … we feel here like it is our home," Pavel said. "So, thank you for this welcome. We look forward to hearing about our special relationship and seeing what you do."

Following the briefings, Pavel and the delegation toured a Nebraska Air National Guard KC-135R Stratotanker assigned to the Lincoln-based 155th Air Refueling Wing, as well as two Nebraska Army National Guard helicopters assigned to the Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility No. 1 in Lincoln.

Strong said the visit highlighted the importance of the work Nebraska Army and Air National Guard members continue with the Czech Armed Forces.

"This was an extremely important event because it gave us an opportunity to celebrate the successes that we have had over the decades of our relationship with the Czechs while also reaffirming our commitment to the future," Strong said. "We all know that we are facing an increasingly challenging and volatile world. As we work with the Czech Armed Forces and continue to learn from each other, we are helping each other build the capabilities that we need to best serve the citizens of our nations. We are clearly stronger together."

"Relationships are driven by shared commitments and shared motivations," Strong said. "This visit gave us the opportunity to reaffirm that we are committed and motivated to continue to evolve our partnership with the Czechs, which has been built upon a spirit of trust, respect and shared values."