FORT PICKETT, Va. –
Virginia National Guard Soldiers assigned to the Fort Pickett-based 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute, completed a landmark training mission with members of the Tajikistan Special Forces Jan. 19-30, 2026, at Fort Pickett, Virginia.
The training was conducted in support of the State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been formal partners since 2003. It was also conducted in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism.
The two-week course focused on mission planning, coordination and rapid response to terrorist threats along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border region, according to the Virginia Air National Guard’s Maj. Joseph McAnnally, Bilateral Affairs Officer to Tajikistan. Thirteen members of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Border Guard Forces participated in the exchange, a first of its kind and part of a broader sequence that will culminate in an event in Tajikistan later this year.
“The Tajikistan Special Forces received excellent training provided by our 183rd RTI out of Fort Pickett,” said McAnnally “We are proud to share knowledge with these incredible service members who protect their people from terrorists and criminal activity. Their dedication not only secures Tajikistan but also contributes to global peace and the security of Americans and Virginians.”
The program underscores inter‑agency cooperation among Tajik security services, bolstering their ability to respond to terrorist activity that threatens both Tajikistan and the wider region. Tajikistan shares an 843‑mile border with northern Afghanistan, a stretch defined by the swift‑flowing Panj River and rugged, mountainous terrain that complicates rapid threat response. By delivering hands‑on expertise in counter‑terrorism and border security, the Guard helps strengthen Tajik forces’ capacity to safeguard their nation’s frontiers and defend against threats to global stability.
In July 2023, the VNG and Tajikistan celebrated the 20th anniversary of their formal partnership in the State Partnership Program, which itself recently celebrated its 30-year anniversary. The relationship has benefitted all parties, from sharing subject matter expertise throughout 200 military-to-military engagements that help counter terrorism, deter violent extremism, expand emergency response capabilities, develop professionalism among leaders and staffs and promote shared values in national sovereignty and security.
Read more about the VNG’s partnership with Tajikistan at https://vngpao.info/4k3xhwfv.