House Resolution 70

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING THE MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD AND THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN FOR CELEBRATING THEIR TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF PARTNERSHIP UNDER THE STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, the Mississippi National Guard and the Republic of Uzbekistan entered into a formal partnership in 2012, and over the span of 10 years, the Mississippi National Guard and Uzbekistan have conducted over 200 events together, to include 68 Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, 44 Key Leader Engagements, 51 Bilateral Conferences, and multiple partnerships between Mississippi universities and Uzbek agencies and institutes of higher learning; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, the Governor of Mississippi, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce and the Adjutant General of Mississippi escorted a military and trade delegation to Uzbekistan to discuss further opportunities for partnering with the Mississippi National Guard and the Republic of Uzbekistan; and

WHEREAS, the President of Uzbekistan and several other high-level officials and ministers of government have pledged their support and commitment to Mississippi and the Mississippi National Guard; and

WHEREAS, a Sister City Agreement was signed by the Mayor of Clinton, Mississippi, and the Mayor of Zarafshan, Uzbekistan; and

WHEREAS, for four consecutive years since 2019, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan has participated in the Exercise Southern Strike (SSTK), a tactical level exercise integrating conventional, allied, and Special Operations Forces (SOF), which operates across multiple domains throughout the Southeastern United States, maximizing combat readiness through integrated, tailored, joint and coalition scenarios based on current global crises, and encourages decentralized execution allowing a high degree of mission command from planning through execution; and

WHEREAS, Uzbekistan soldiers have competed shoulder to shoulder with Mississippi National Guardsmen in the Best Warrior Competition for three years, and won overall in 2020 and 2022, in addition to winning the International Division in 2021; and

WHEREAS, five Special Operations training events have been conducted between the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne); and

WHEREAS, in 2021, when 24 Uzbekistan soldiers participated in an airborne operation alongside members of the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) from the Mississippi National Guard it was the first time Uzbek and Mississippi Special Operations Forces conducted joint airborne operations, a monumental occasion observed by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and the Director of the Air National Guard; and

WHEREAS, in 2022, the Mississippi National Guard was awarded Partnership of the Year Runner-Up by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau for its partnership with the Republic of Uzbekistan; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to encourage and support the establishment of partnerships in furtherance of international diplomacy and protections of the liberties of democracy:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Mississippi National Guard and the Republic of Uzbekistan on 10 years of successful partnership, and express our greatest hopes and aspiration for continued expansion of diplomacy and success in the years ahead.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ambassador Javlon Vakhabov for the Republic of Uzbekistan, Major General Janson Boyles for the Mississippi National Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Amanda Villeret for the State Partnership Program, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.