The Washington Army National Guard's 96th Military Engagement Team (MET), which is currently based out of Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, may have less than 30 soldiers, but its accomplishments within the U.S. Army Central Command's (ARCENT) geographical area to promote regional security and stability cannot be quantified.

The 96th MET primarily deals with countries that have an established military force and have interest in working with the United States; the respective embassy and country desk officer guide the assignments and determine if the 96th MET can fulfill said request. They also ensure access to and reassure regional partnerships. Work with a specific country can range from a few days to a series of missions, depending on the country and its needs.

"We have a lot of different specialties in the National Guard, so we can bring a diverse amount of experience and knowledge to this particular mission," said commander Col. Robin Blanchard.

Blanchard assumed command of the 96th MET in April 2013, specifically for this deployment. In fact, the entire 96th MET only exists for this deployment and falls under the 96th Troop Command Brigade since that was where Blanchard hailed from. Citizen soldiers, at or above the ranks of Sgt. 1st Class, Major or CW2, were pulled from across the Washington Army National Guard, though at least half are also from the 96th Troop Command.

"This is not training, this is an information exchange and engagement," she stated. "The focus is on the relationship we're building and not just on what we're teaching or sharing. We're trying to ensure that these countries are more comfortable with us."

For instance, at a NATO type event, one country would understand the operations of the other and vice versa, making the interactions easier and building trust. So far, the 96th MET has completed numerous engagements across the Middle East, Southwest and Central Asia, ranging from Oman to Bahrain to Tajikistan.

"The culture here is different and you must respect it and operate within it," she said. "For instance, these people really appreciate communicating informally and actually getting to know us, so leaving the formal, classroom environment works best to form relationships."

For Blanchard, who has spent 27 years in the military, this has been an entirely new frontier and assignment.

"It's been surprising how accepted we have been overall, even myself, as a female," Blanchard shared. "In civilian clothes I almost get no respect but when I put my uniform on it changes; they recognize and respect my rank even though females typically have no permanent positions in their militaries."

Another focus of the team's work is a collaborative effort with the State Partnership Programs (SPPs). Each state division of the Army National Guard has a partner country, so ARCENT's goals in-country, which are being executed by the 96th MET, can help provide context and guidance for the appropriate ARNG partner and ensure that all relationships are on the same page.

"This is a way to make an area more stable. There is a huge benefit gained from just a small group by shaping and affecting countries in the area so that they have a better view of the United States and know they can rely on us," said Blanchard. "My team deserves all the credit for the progress we've made."

In the coming months the 96th MET will hand off the operations to the 32nd MET out of Wisconsin and redeploy to Camp Murray.