Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.
Well, last week I was privileged to witness a group of multinational soldiers complete a joint military exercise known as the Common Challenge 2026. Up in the mountains of Montenegro, among the chatter of many nations, I listened to dignitaries and servicemembers comment on the success of the day, on the readiness for the mission, and on the grit and pride of that international team.
My thoughts turned to Shakespeare, a bard of some four centuries ago, who could not have envisioned the future circumstances which we find ourselves in today, but who said prophetically and for all time: "the Readiness is all."
Readiness indeed. Readiness is what I saw in Montenegro last week. Readiness for things known and unknown, unexpected and expected.
I traveled there with Major General Diane Dunn and Maine National Guardsmen to Montenegro to observe that joint training mission and to meet with Montenegrin officials, military members, and citizens to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Maine's strategic partnership with Montenegro. I am the second governor to have visited Montenegro and celebrate this partnership.
In 2006, Maine and Montenegro formed that partnership to share training and military expertise, as Montenegro became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. Both the state of Maine and the people of Montenegro have benefited through this shared knowledge, through team exercises, and through progress in this strategic partnership.
Over the past 20 years, our servicemembers and Montenegrins have trained side-by-side, shoulder-to-shoulder, learning how to navigate challenging mountain terrain, practicing difficult search and rescue missions, confronting dangerously cold weather conditions, and defending the security of our respective regions. Montenegrin soldiers have traveled to Maine for engineering projects, and Maine National Guardsmen have traveled to Montenegro to respond to cyber-attacks on that country.
While in Montenegro, Major General Dunn and I met with the Prime Minister and the President, Defense Minister, and Foreign Minister of the country to discuss the future of our relationship and the prospects for more collaboration. Collaboration in forestry research, in deep port uses, in trade, and in educational exchanges for the benefit of both regions.
Maine, like Montenegro, for instance, has a deep ocean port, which is an important gateway for trade. We are tackling threats of cybersecurity and threats from severe weather caused by climate change, just as they are. We too have a thriving forest products industry that is at the heart of our economy.
So I emphasized to the Montenegrins that Maine offers world-leading universities, community colleges, and private higher eds, who are all ready to work with Montenegro students to train the next generation of best and brightest leaders—broadening research and bolstering our mutual security.
I am proud of our own Guard members and of their determination to reach outside their own boundaries and zones of operation and zones of comfort to assist the people of Montenegro in addressing cybersecurity threats, in training and in military preparedness, and in maximizing the potential for international collaboration and expertise.
To properly commemorate the 20th anniversary of this bilateral commitment of the Maine National Guard and the Armed Forces of Montenegro, I've officially proclaimed September 17th as Montenegro-Maine Partnership Day, reaffirming our friendship with the leaders, the people, and the Armed Forces of Montenegro.
Maine and Montenegro have contributed our human and physical resources to this effort, and our culture, our character, and our courage have combined for the common good of humanity and for the common peace of our nations.
Maine and Montenegro are ready.
This is Governor Janet Mills, and I thank you for listening.