FORT HARRISON — Regional Cooperation 2026, led by U.S. Central Command, gave more than 350 soldiers from across 10 countries a chance to work through real-world scenarios together, from field exercises and medical response to cybersecurity and operational coordination.
(WATCH: Multinational military exercise wraps up at Fort Harrison)
Col. Lee Breard, U.S. CENTCOM’s director of exercises, said the larger purpose is building trust before it is needed.
“You can’t build trust at time of need. It has to be built beforehand,” Breard said.
Throughout the exercise, participants worked through scenarios involving national defense, border security, humanitarian relief and even a simulated wildfire, among dozens of other events.
For Montana, hosting the exercise also carried a local connection. Through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program, Montana has long-running relationships with countries abroad, including with the Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan.
Read more about a humanitarian effort related to the State Partnership Program.
“One of the unique aspects of Montana hosting these exercises, two of their foreign partners, Turkmenistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, participate here,” Breard said.
That meant Fort Harrison was not just another training location for some of the international participants. It was part of a partnership Montana has been building for years.
Bolot Bakyrov, a soldier from the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, spoke with MTN about his experience during the events focused on cybersecurity training. He said the experience gave participants a chance to learn from each other, not just from the U.S.
“We’ve gained incredible experience because we exchange our knowledge and expertise,” Bakyrov expressed.
He said the training helped participants better understand how to respond to cyberattacks, while also learning how to communicate and work as a team across borders.
“We learned the ways to react to cyber attacks,” Bakyrov said. “And we also learned how to cooperate, to work as a team.”
Bakyrov said the two weeks in Montana went by quickly, adding that he hopes to take part in a similar exercise again.
Regional Cooperation 2026 wrapped up June 12 at Fort Harrison. Leaders said while the training may be over, the relationships built in Montana are meant to continue long after participants return home.
