Washington Guard, Thai Air Force Build Partnerships

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - To build off the success of Enduring Partners 2024, members of the Washington Air National Guard and the Royal Thai Air Force came together Sept. 10-13 for the Enduring Partners 2025 Concept Development Conference.

"This is the third Enduring Partners exercise, but it feels like all three have happened in just a year," said Lt. Col. John Dalrymple, lead exercise planner for Enduring Partners.

Dalrymple's statement is accurate in many ways. The inaugural Enduring Partners exercise occurred Sept. 11-21, 2023, at Korat Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand.

"This is about building relationships and friendships," Dalrymple said. "I talk with my Thai counterpart weekly, if not a couple times a week. That is what Enduring Partners is, building the strength and friendship."

Enduring Partners is a joint military training exercise between the Washington Air National Guard and Thailand meant to improve and strengthen combat readiness, interoperability and defense ties between the two nations. During the 2023 iteration, the focus was getting a KC-135 from the 141st Air Refueling Wing to Thailand and conducting an air refueling mission with fighter jets from the Royal Thai Air Force.

In 2024, the focus shifted from air refueling to five lines of effort: humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and medical; tactical air control party and joint terminal attack controller and combat control team; cyber; ground-controlled interception; and space operations. Washington Air National Guard and Royal Thai Airforce airmen received hands-on training in an optimal training environment focused on enhanced readiness, interoperability and combined capabilities.

"Three years ago, we didn't think it was possible to do Enduring Partners," said Air Vice Marshal Anorak Romnarak, engagement senior leader with the Royal Thai Air Force. "Now we can train on multi-domain, cyber and electronic warfare. We are excited to start the planning."

Enduring Partners 2025 will build off Thailand and Washington's successes during EP23 and 24 while including other partners that have shown interest in participating.

During the four-day conference, the group discussed the main topics from April's Enduring Partners exercise and what to include or change in EP 25. They also took part in mission briefs and tours at the 194th Wing, Air Support Operations Group, 10th Civil Support Team and learned about the work by the Washington National Guard's election security team supporting the Secretary of State's office.

"We need to have achievable goals and be able to change the concept as the exercise planning is happening," said Brig. Gen. Ken Borchers, commander of the Washington Air National Guard. "Let's set ourselves up for success, let's focus, don't take too big of bites from the apple, and let's put together a good plan. The focus is building those partnerships and extending friendships."

Since signing their formal partnership through the State Partnership Program in 2002, the Washington National Guard and the Royal Thai Armed Forces have held subject matter expert exchanges, engagements and exercises to enhance mutual capabilities, security cooperation and people-to-people connections that extend beyond military cooperation.

"When we look at Enduring Partners, I see something that by Fiscal Year 2026 and moving forward can include the Washington Army National Guard," said Brig. Gen. Paul Sellars, commanding general, Washington Army National Guard. "I can envision including our partners with the 112th Stryker Regiment with the Royal Thai Army and our 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team sharing knowledge and training together both in Thailand and at the Yakima Training Center."

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