Brig. Gen. James W. Ring, the director of the joint staff for the Virgina National Guard, meets with members of the Tajikistan delegation at the Initial Planning Conference, or IPC, for Regional Cooperation 23 Feb. 21, 2023, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Tajikistan and Virginia have worked together though the National Guard's State Partnership Program and will celebrate 20 years of partnership this year. RC 23 is an annual, multi-national U.S. Central Command-sponsored exercise conducted by U.S. forces in partnership with Central and South Asia nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Terra C. Gatti)