North Little Rock, Arkansas – The Arkansas National Guard returned from the annual State Partnership Conference with three national awards, highlighting the state’s work with Guatemala and its broader role in U.S. security cooperation in Central America.
Arkansas National Guard officials said the organization received three of the nine awards presented at the conference. The honors recognized both the overall Arkansas-Guatemala partnership and the work of two Arkansas officers involved in advancing the relationship.
The Arkansas National Guard received the Strategic Partnership of the Year award for its collaboration in Central America. The award recognizes the team that most effectively advances U.S. security cooperation objectives.
Officials said Arkansas earned the honor because of the partnership’s strong alignment with Department of Defense priorities and the goals of U.S. Southern Command.
The recognition comes during a particularly active period for the Arkansas-Guatemala relationship. According to National Guard officials, ANG-Guatemala carried out 85 security cooperation agreements this year, setting a record for the partnership.
Those agreements reflect the range of cooperation between the two sides and the continued effort to build stronger working relationships between Arkansas personnel and their Guatemalan counterparts.
The conference also brought individual recognition for two Arkansas officers.
Maj. Debora Lopez was named State Partnership Program Director of the Year. Officials credited Lopez with leading what they described as the most productive period in the history of the Arkansas-Guatemala partnership.
During her time in the role, Lopez worked to align partnership activities with the U.S. Embassy’s Integrated Country Strategy. Officials also said she helped increase participation by Arkansas personnel, expanding involvement in activities connected to the partnership.
Her award recognizes the leadership required to coordinate those efforts and keep the partnership focused on broader U.S. security and cooperation objectives.
Maj. David Nevarez received the Bilateral Affairs Officer Small Military Group of the Year award. Nevarez is based at the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala City, where he works to coordinate efforts involving multiple agencies.
Officials said Nevarez was recognized for his role in bringing different organizations together and helping advance U.S. national security objectives.
The three awards give Arkansas a significant showing at a conference where only nine awards were available. They also put a national spotlight on the work being carried out through the state’s partnership with Guatemala.
The State Partnership Program connects U.S. states and territories with partner nations and provides opportunities for military and civilian cooperation. For Arkansas, the relationship with Guatemala has developed into an important part of its security cooperation work in Central America.
This year’s record of 85 security cooperation agreements was a key part of that effort. Officials said the number demonstrates the scale of activity taking place through the partnership.
The awards also recognize different levels of that work. The Strategic Partnership of the Year honor focused on the overall team and its contribution to U.S. security cooperation goals, while the awards for Lopez and Nevarez highlighted individual leadership and coordination.
For the Arkansas National Guard, the recognition provides a national acknowledgment of the work being done with Guatemala while underscoring the importance of continued cooperation in Central America. The record number of agreements, combined with the three conference awards, marks a notable year for the Arkansas-Guatemala partnership.
