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NEWS | May 15, 2019

DC National Guard participates in natural disaster table top event with the Jamaica Defense Force and the Jamaica Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Soldiers and Airmen from the District of Columbia National Guard (DCNG) arrived in Kingston, Jamaica today to participate in a humanitarian assistance and disaster response table top event with the Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) and Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), as part of the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP).

Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) from the DCNG Multi Agency Augmentation Command and Joint Staff joined their counter parts in the JDF and ODPEM to plan and coordinate a contingency plan for military response after a simulated major earthquake in the geographical area of the capital, Kingston.

“The partnership between the DC National Guard and the Jamaica Defense Force has been incredibly productive. With this table top event, SME’s are able to evaluate the current disaster response plan and provide feedback and ideas to update and hopefully improve the plan before a major natural disaster. This specific table top event uses a major earthquake in the area of Kingston as its example and is allowing ODPEM and the JDF to put together a plan face-to-face where ideas and concepts can be exchanged and updated easily,” said U.S. Army Colonel Scott Craig, DCNG Mission Commander.   

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership between the DCNG and the JDF. The SPP has been successfully building relationships for 25 years and includes 75 partners with 81 nations around the globe. This year the DC National Guard began a new partnership with the country of Burkina Faso and the Burkina Faso Armed Forces.  SPP unites the specific state’s National Guard with a partner nation’s armed forces in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals, but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, economic and social spheres.

For more information on the DC National Guard visit https://dc.ng.mil.

Media Inquiries: 
Mr. Kevin Valentine 
Public Affairs Specialist
Phone: 202-685-9862
Email: kevin.l.valentine18.civ@mail.mil
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