Dan Carden

The leader of the Indiana National Guard has established a partnership with the Oklahoma National Guard and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to enhance mutual relationships and to promote defense and security cooperation.

Gen. Dale Lyles, Indiana National Guard adjutant general, said the three entities together will conduct military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals, while also working to promote cooperation in the military, government, economic and social spheres.

"We are proud, honored and excited to join forces with Oklahoma and Saudi Arabia as we forge this new partnership and the opportunity to work alongside our neighbors to the south and overseas in the Middle East," Lyles said.

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"Hoosier Guardsmen are dedicated, determined and look forward to strengthening our relationships with our Saudi Arabian partners."

This kind of arrangement is not new. The National Guard's State Partnership Program has established 96 similar partnerships between American states and 106 foreign nations over the past 30 years.

"Oklahoma is proud to join with Indiana in this partnership with Saudi Arabia," said Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma.

"This program helps ensure a lasting relationship that improves the capabilities of the United States for the current and future environment. Oklahoma is uniquely qualified for this partnership, and we look forward to the opportunities it brings to our soldiers and airmen, industry, institutions and communities."

The partnership was announced Monday while Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb and Lyles were in Saudi Arabia on a mission to promote Indiana as a destination for investment by business entities based in the Middle East.

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Chief Political Reporter

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