Colombian Army Lieutenant Andres Duarte surveys flood

Colombian Army Lieutenant Andres Duarte surveys flood damage at the Columbia Canal on Nov. 17, 2015. The South Carolina National Guard held a Subject Matter Expert Exchange with its Partner Nation Nov. 15-21, 2015. While in South Carolina, the five Colombian officers toured various sites and met with their National Guard counterparts seeing firsthand the areas affected by the floods, and how the Guard responded working alongside civilian first responders and state and local emergency management. Since its launch in 2012, when the South Carolina National Guard introduced its State Partnership Program (SPP) with the Republic of Colombia, S.C., has focused on establishing long-term relationships where Colombia and South Carolina can promote mutual interests and build lasting capabilities. In the past year the South Carolina National Guard has held 26 engagements with its partner nation. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Stephen D. Hudson/Released)