The U.S. Embassy in Colombo this week welcomed a team of engineers and medical professionals from the Montana National Guard as they worked alongside Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre and other government agencies to assess damage to health facilities and critical infrastructure caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The visit highlights the United States’ partnership-based approach to humanitarian assistance, linking immediate post-disaster recovery with long-term resilience and institutional capacity building. Drawing on extensive experience responding to natural disasters in the United States, the Montana National Guard team conducted site visits across Colombo, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Matale, and Puttalam to support recovery planning and guide future U.S. humanitarian assistance decisions.
Lt. Col. Matthew House, U.S. Defense Attaché and Senior Defense Official at the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, said the engagement demonstrated the strength of the bilateral partnership in real-world conditions. He noted that by working closely with Sri Lankan counterparts and applying lessons learned from disaster response in the United States, the team is helping address current recovery needs while strengthening systems to manage future emergencies.
The mission builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2025 between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defense and the Montana National Guard, formalizing cooperation under the U.S. Department of War’s State Partnership Program. In Montana, the National Guard serves as the state’s primary responder during natural disasters such as wildfires, floods, and severe winter storms, making the partnership particularly relevant to Sri Lanka’s disaster management framework.
Brig. Gen. Trent Gibson, Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard, said the Guard’s experience working with civilian partners during emergencies has shaped its approach to cooperation with Sri Lanka. He emphasized that the partnership goes beyond technical support, focusing on trust, cooperation, and mutual respect, and described the collaboration as a reflection of friendship between the two nations.
The engagement also builds on years of cooperation under the State Partnership Program, which pairs the Montana National Guard with Sri Lanka to strengthen security, enhance disaster response capabilities, and foster long-term relationships. Recent joint initiatives such as ATLAS ANGEL 2024 and PACIFIC ANGEL 2025 saw U.S. and Sri Lankan personnel working together to improve humanitarian assistance and disaster response readiness, relationships that proved crucial during the rapid response to Cyclone Ditwah.
Sri Lankan officials from the Disaster Management Centre welcomed the collaboration, describing it as both timely and valuable. Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Maj. Gen. Sampath Kotuwegoda (Retd), said the insights and technical expertise shared by the Montana National Guard have supported recovery efforts while also strengthening national capacity to manage future disasters. He noted that the engagement reflects the enduring partnership between Sri Lanka and the United States.
The Montana National Guard’s visit follows broader U.S. assistance after Cyclone Ditwah, including 4 million dollars in humanitarian aid, the transfer of 10 American-made Bell 206 helicopters to the Sri Lanka Air Force through the U.S. Excess Defense Articles program, and U.S. Air Force C-130 relief flights delivering critical supplies. Together, these efforts underscore the United States’ continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s recovery and long-term resilience through partnership and shared capability.
