United States European Command
January 22, 2014
Bulgarian Deputy Chief of Defense Visits EUCOM
By U.S. Army Maj. Michael Cushwa, ECJ5/8 Political-Military Affairs Officer – Bulgaria Desk
The tenth biannual U.S.-Bulgaria Joint Commission meeting was held Jan. 9, 2014, at the Swabian Special Events Center on Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany.
Maj. Gen. Randy Kee, director of U.S. European Command’s Policy, Strategy, Partnering and Capabilities directorate, co-chaired the event with Bulgarian Deputy Chief of Defense Rear Adm. Georgi Georgiev.
The biannual event, traditionally conducted in Sofia, was held in Stuttgart for the second time since the signing of the U.S.-Bulgaria Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2006.
This meeting is the formal bilateral engagement for senior U.S. and Bulgarian representatives to conduct consultations on matters pertaining to the Defense Cooperation Agreement and associated Implementing Arrangements governing use of shared facilities in Bulgaria.
Several key leaders attended, representing EUCOM components and the Bulgarian Armed Forces. U.S. Army in Europe Deputy Commanding General Maj. Gen. Richard Longo; U.S. Air Forces in Europe Plans, Programs and Analysis Director Brig. Gen. Thomas Sharpy and Marine Corps Forces Europe Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. James O’Meara lent their support to the Joint Commission process and highlighted their respective component engagements with Bulgaria.
Representatives from the Bulgarian Armed Forces included Deputy Land Forces Commander Brig. Gen. Krasimir Kanev and Deputy Air Force Commander Brig. Gen. Rumen Radev.
Discussions included updates on bilateral exercises and U.S.-Bulgaria cooperation on future training of a Libyan General Purpose Force in Bulgaria.
The next Joint Commission is tentatively scheduled for June 2014 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
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