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Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria: The Intersection of Readiness, NATO Unity of Purpose and Community Partnership
By LTC Jeffery Fritz and Oana Copaceanu
NOVO SELO TRAINING AREA, Bulgaria - Novo Selo Training Area (NSTA) sits at the center of NATO's eastern flank and enables three pillars to come together every day for U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea: readiness, NATO unity of purpose, and community partnership. Together, they enable U.S. forces, NATO allies, and Bulgarian communities to project deterrence.
Pillar 1: Readiness
The first pillar begins with the Army's mission at NSTA, a mission rooted in sustained readiness and the ability to prepare in an authentic operational environment.
Lt. Col. Blair Downey, 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment commander, described NSTA as an invaluable resource that provides "the ability to build readiness close to the installation, without the time and cost of moving a battalion across a continent to train."
His observation highlights the strategic advantages inherent to the Novo Selo Training Area's geography, where the ranges, gunnery complex and expansive maneuver areas are collocated. This integration eliminates extensive transit-between-area requirements and allows units to redirect that time toward sustained, rigorous and uninterrupted training.
"Our ranges, gunnery complex and maneuver areas sit within a short road march of our footprint, so we spend our time training instead of traveling," Downey remarked. "That proximity lets us run a training calendar that few units in Europe or the continental United States can match."
The training area's design enables formations to seamlessly execute tank and Bradley platoon live-fire exercises, 155mm high-explosive missions and aerial gunnery within a single, cohesive environment, positioning Novo Selo as one of NATO's most efficient and operationally impactful training platforms.
With 3,700 acres of maneuver space, 8 kilometers wide by 12 kilometers long, the site is one of the most dynamic and versatile training areas in Europe. The NSTA also benefits from key infrastructure that strengthens operational readiness. An adjacent railhead enables rapid movement of heavy equipment and supplies, a dedicated heliport supports rotary-wing operations, just 70 kilometers from the Port of Burgas, providing direct access to a major Black Sea logistics hub.
"The terrain itself, dense woods, steep elevation and open maneuver space, gives every formation a real problem to solve," Downey explained. "Permissive airspace lets us fly unmanned aircraft whenever our plan calls for it, and the professionalism of the 7th Army Training Command and the Bulgarian Land Forces gives us the flexibility to train the way we need to, not the way a crowded calendar forces us to."
While the 1-36 Infantry is a key presence, the training area also hosts the NATO Battlegroup Bulgaria, with Italy serving as the framework nation alongside contingents from several Balkan nations.
Pillar 2: NATO Unity of Purpose
"The Italian contribution to NATO's eastern flank is ultimately about turning collective defense from a principle into a tangible reality," said Col. Matteo Epifani, commander of the 8th Reggimento Bersaglieri, which has been deployed to NSTA since earlier this year.
"During our deployment in Bulgaria, our mission was not simply to maintain a military presence, but to build a credible, integrated and ready multinational force, able to operate alongside our allies from the very first moment," Epifani emphasized. "At Novo Selo, we experienced this every day."
During a handover-takeover ceremony with the 4th Reggimento Carri earlier this month, Epifani reflected on his time at the training area.
"We brought together units with different backgrounds, military cultures, procedures and experiences, and progressively transformed them into one cohesive team, united by the same purpose and the same sense of responsibility," Epifani explained.
The Novo Selo Training Area provides an opportunity to enhance allied, human, procedural and, at times, technical interoperability.
"Interoperability is certainly about common procedures, communications and standards, but it is also about understanding how others think, learning from one another and, above all, building mutual trust," Epifani highlighted. "This was perhaps the most important result of our mission. Our differences did not represent an obstacle; they became a source of strength."
Pillar 3: Community Partnership
This effort extends well beyond a purely military undertaking. Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev, who has led the city since 2015, highlighted the broader regional significance. Sliven lies near communities that interact closely with and benefit from the training area. The entire region shares a deep connection with the military installation.
"As mayor of the Sliven municipality, I am pleased with the close cooperation we have established with the United States Army at the Novo Selo Training Area," Radev underscored. "This partnership supports our municipality by providing employment for more than 300 residents and creating significant economic opportunities."
The community leader understands that the human factor has great significance in building relationships between US forces and the Bulgarian people.
"Initiatives such as this month's blood donation campaign, in which 60 American service members voluntarily donated blood to our Regional Center for Transfusion Hematology, demonstrate a genuine commitment to our community," Radev said. "These actions highlight the human dimension of our partnership. We greatly respect the professionalism of U.S. Army Garrison Black Sea, their continued commitment and the respect they show toward Sliven and the surrounding communities."
The achievements at NSTA underscore the enduring resilience and cohesion of the NATO alliance. As the alliance continues to adapt to evolving challenges, Novo Selo will remain an indispensable platform for generating credible combat forces and sustaining collective security on the eastern flank.
| Date Taken: | 08.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.24.2026 07:21 |
| Story ID: | 573055 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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