25 Years Strong: Hawai‘i Guard and Philippines Celebrate Enduring Partnership

Posted on Oct 7, 2025 in 2020's, History
Leaders and attendees from the Hawai‘i National Guard, Guam National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines gather for a group photo during the 25th anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between the Hawai‘i National Guard and the AFP at Clark Air Base, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2025. The Hawai‘i Guard and AFP launched the Indo-Pacific’s first State Partnership in 2000, marking 25 years of cooperation in training, disaster response and regional security. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy)

CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines — Cheers, handshakes and shared stories filled the air Sept. 23–25 as the Hawai‘i National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated 25 years of partnership — a bond that has endured typhoons, crises and global challenges to become the Indo-Pacific’s longest-running State Partnership.

“This 25-year partnership is the first and longest continuous State Partnership in the Indo-Pacific,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Logan, Hawai‘i’s adjutant general. “It’s a quarter-century of steady engagement, cooperation and deep friendship.”

The anniversary, observed Sept. 25 at Clark, highlighted how the partnership has grown from a handshake in 2000 into more than 400 engagements across cyber defense, aviation, medical readiness, air defense and disaster response.

Read the rest of the Article