The military base in Novo Selo is the place where readiness, unity of purpose in NATO and partnership with local communities meet, the US Army summarizes on its official website.
The NATO base, near the city of Sliven, is located in the center of the Alliance's eastern flank and is home to the US Army Garrison "Black Sea". The polygon has an area of 144 square kilometers and is located 45 km from the Bezmer air base and 70 km from the port of Burgas - the location of Novo Selo has been marked by the US Army as key to NATO's eastern flank. The nearby railway station, allowing for the rapid movement of heavy equipment and materials, and the dedicated helicopter terminal are also mentioned as determining the importance of the Novo Selo base.
Since 2004, Novo Selo has become a preferred location for annual joint exercises between the United States and Bulgaria. The 2006 US-Bulgaria Defense Cooperation Agreement transformed Novo Selo into a joint US-Bulgarian military base. Its use by the US military began in late 2008 with an investment of $61 million in the construction of new housing for soldiers and other infrastructure.
All this allows US forces, NATO allies and Bulgaria to exercise a deterrent effect, summarizes the material on the Bulgarian base on the US armed forces website.
The three reasons why the US military considers Novo Selo a key base
First of all, the Bulgarian base provides an opportunity to train the readiness of military personnel, the article notes. The terrain of the training range allows formations to seamlessly conduct exercises of different types in one place, which makes Novo Selo one of NATO's most effective and operationally significant training platforms. The integration of various training capabilities eliminates the need for lengthy transfers between different areas and allows units to direct the saved time towards long, intensive and continuous training.
Secondly, the base in Novo Selo is home not only to the American contingent, but also to other allied military personnel. The significant presence of Italian armed forces at the base is mentioned. The joint work of different contingents increases connectivity between partners in the Alliance, the US Army notes. "Interoperability certainly refers to common procedures, communications and standards, but it also refers to understanding each other's way of thinking, mutual learning and, above all, building mutual trust", says Colonel Matteo Epifani, commander of the 8th Bersaglieri Regiment, which has been stationed in Novo Selo since the beginning of this year.
Last but not least, the US Army notes its active cooperation with the local community in the area. Sliven Mayor Stefan Radev told American journalists that he realizes that the human factor is of great importance in building relations between the American armed forces and the Bulgarian people. He noted, for example, that this month American servicemen participated in a blood donation campaign in Sliven.