New Jersey ANG Airman shares expertise during European Partnership Flight

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Matthew Foulk, 177th Fighter Wing munitions flight senior enlisted leader, New Jersey Air National Guard, provided a munitions briefing, detailing explosives safety, proper munitions storage and storage area management to counterparts from Albania (event co-host), Bosniaand Herzegovina, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia during the European Partnership Flight (EPF) Air Base Operations and Development Conference in Tirana, Albania, June 13-17, 2026.

Given the complexity of air base development, especially in the era of unmanned aerial systems and automation, diverse participant input is important to support Ally and partner success in this great undertaking.

Citizen Airmen and Soldiers of the New Jersey National Guard are able to contribute unique subject matter expertise from their backgrounds in both the defense and civilian sectors, but also from their unique familiarity of the Albanian Armed Forces that has been gained through 25 years of successful partnership with the Republic of Albania through the State Partnership Program.

By pairing U.S. states with partner nations, the SPP builds long-term operational alignment and cross-cultural trust that serves as a cornerstone of U.S. security cooperation. SPP is administered by the National Guard Bureau on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of War and executed by state National Guards in support of U.S. geographic combatant commands.

Through this program, the Air National Guard goes beyond traditional military-to-military training. By leveraging whole-of-society relationships, the Guard facilitates broader interagency cooperation that spans military, government, economic, and social spheres to achieve shared defense and security goals.

While the event highlighted the unique value of the Guard's state-level ties, it also demonstrated cohesive total force integration among active and ANG Airmen. Foulk integrated seamlessly with active-duty personnel from the 435th Tactical Advisory Squadron and USAFE’s A5I International Affairs Division to provide a comprehensive, unified approach to the conference's training objectives.

The EPF serves as U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s premier air-centric conference, facilitating vital bilateral and multilateral dialogue on core airbase operations. By exchanging broader technical expertise, U.S. forces and their regional counterparts are working hand-in-hand to modernize operations, solve shared challenges, and build the foundational capabilities required to sustain defense efforts across the area of responsibility.

By demonstrating a steadfast commitment to our Allies and partners, USAFE and the N.J. ANG are building the mutual confidence and collective capacity needed to maximize warfighting effectiveness and secure the European theater.

Ultimately, these in-person, peer-to-peer engagements cultivate participants into informed advocates who return to their home units equipped to drive joint interoperability, champion standardized procedures, and serve as vitalteammatesfor future combined operations.