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On Aug. 8, the United States Army Garrison Black Sea marked its official uncasing of colors and change of command ceremony. The U.S. Army formally redesignated the Army Support Activity-Black Sea to USAG Black Sea, effective June 15. This development establishes USAG Black Sea as the ninth Army garrison in Europe and the 81st globally, further strengthening the U.S. Army’s presence in the Black Sea region.
Located at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase in Romania and Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria, USAG Black Sea is tasked with managing a total of five sites across both countries.
These include Babadag Training Area in Romania, as well as Aytos and Chubra Training Areas in Bulgaria.
This move comes after USAG Black Sea realigned to report to USAG Poland as its higher headquarters, with V Corps serving as the Senior Responsible Officer.
This realignment ensures that the Army’s operations on NATO’s Eastern flank are fully integrated and coordinated.
“USAG Black Sea will support V Corps, and all U.S. Army forces in the region, enhancing our command-and-control capabilities and ensuring our forces are ready to meet any challenges in the European theater,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Kuszniaj, USAG Black Sea garrison commander, highlighting the strategic importance of this move.
“What’s most important for everyone to understand is that fundamentally, we will continue to deliver those world-class services that we have been over the years. Our mission is to make sure that the soldiers coming to Romania and Bulgaria have everything available to them to have mission success and that their quality of life remains as high as possible while they’re here. I’m excited to work side-by-side with our host nation partners to accomplish that mission and, of course, to see more of their beautiful countries while I’m here,” said Kuszniaj as he emphasized the significance of the transition for the garrison at both the command level and for the organization as it moves into a full garrison designation.
The redesignation underscores the Army’s commitment to strengthening its infrastructure and operational capabilities in Eastern Europe.
The garrison’s mission is to deliver and integrate flexible base support to enable the readiness of permanent, rotational, allied, and expeditionary forces in Romania and Bulgaria.
USAG Black Sea aims to serve, support, and secure the total force community, thereby enabling power projection for the European Theater.
Mr. Scott Delay, deputy to the garrison commander, noted that the transition to a USAG will be seamless for soldiers stationed at these installations. “What it means in the long run is that we will be able to improve our infrastructure and deliver more robust services to the U.S. Army warfighter as we receive more resources and grow and mature as a garrison,” said Delay.
USAG Black Sea’s vision is to build a trusted team of Army professionals dedicated to supporting mission partners and communities. The garrison is committed to delivering world-class services and enabling readiness to meet emerging requirements.
Modern, resilient, and sustainable installations are at the core of this vision, enhancing strategic readiness while providing quality facilities, services, and support to soldiers, their families, Army civilians, and soldiers for life.
Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Gutierrez, discussed the balance between mission objectives and building strong relationships with host nations. “In the realm of military operations, the subtle balance between supporting rotational forces and fostering positive relationships with Host Nation Partners is a critical aspect of mission success,” said Gutierrez. “By maintaining open lines of communication between the rotational forces, garrison personnel, and host nation representatives, we can ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding mission objectives and community engagement efforts.”
The establishment of USAG Black Sea aligns with Installation Management Command’s lines of effort, which include people, infrastructure, protection services, and operationalizing the Black Sea.
These LOEs are essential to the mission, ensuring that the garrison can support the diverse needs of its community and mission partners.
As USAG Black Sea begins its journey, it does so with a clear mission and vision supported by a robust framework of strategic goals.
This new garrison is poised to play a critical role in the U.S. Army’s operations in Eastern Europe, ensuring that the forces stationed there are well-supported and ready to meet any challenges that arise.
The U.S. Army’s continued investment in the Black Sea region reflects its commitment to maintaining a strong, ready, and resilient presence on NATO’s Eastern flank.
With the establishment of USAG Black Sea, the Army is well-positioned to support its mission partners and enhance the readiness of its forces in the region.
