Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Guard Indiana (NGI) and the Armed Forces Academy of General M. R. Stefanik (AFA), an American instructor, Major Brandon Clark, is assisting with the teaching in the ISOC 28 for two weeks. It is already his second visit to Slovakia and he will stay here until March 17^th, 2023. His professional knowledge and experience are especially beneficial during the initial exercise of the multinational unit, which is aimed at defending state borders in the event of aggression from a neighboring state.

Major Brandon Clark has experience in tactical planning, allowing instructors and course members to consult with him on specific procedures related to planning operations at the tactical command level. Students can thus compare their planning experiences in different countries, which highlights the exclusivity of the course. At the same time, Major Clark provides the instructors of International Courses Department (ICD) his knowledge in the field of operational planning, which will also enrich other courses that AFA offers for the Slovak Armed Forces, NATO and Partners.

Another NGI officer, Major Will James, currently working in Bratislava, Slovakia, as a Bilateral Affairs Officer at the Office of Defense Cooperation of US Embassy in Slovakia, visited AFA, mainly ICD, on March 9^th – 10^th, 2023. The aim of his visit was to strengthen mutual relations and develop cooperation in the field of further education of members of the Slovak Armed Forces. During his visit, he was interested in the ongoing ISOC 28 and the cooperation of AFA and NGI in its implementation. At the same time, he promised to help bring SMEs for the operational planning course and expressed interest in the participation of NGI members in the logistics courses that are being prepared and will be conducted at AFA. He greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit AFA, to learn more about our institution through presentations and the discussion with the Director of the rectorate LTC Martin Chovanec, Director of the PMEC, COL Jozef Wesselényi, as well as the Chief of IDC, LTC Rene Hecko.

"We believe that after the interruption of cooperation and the restrictions caused by the pandemic, all possibilities are now set so that cooperation with NGI continues to deepen and be of benefit to both sides," said the chief of ICD.