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Approximately 250 U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 37th Airlift Squadron and 435th Air Ground Operations Wing from Ramstein Air Base, and the 57th Rescue Squadron from Aviano Air Base, Italy, participated in the multinational exercise, Thracian Summer 2021, Aug. 20 – Sept. 3.
The exercise was designed to test the abilities of U.S. Airmen and Bulgarian armed forces in a number of events to help participants enhance their capabilities and share experience through partnership.
“Thracian Summer is a multi-national, tri-wing U.S. Air Forces in Europe run exercise,” said Capt. Shane Brouillette, Thracian Summer 2021 mission commander. “It gives us an opportunity to come out and practice agile combat employment, contested operations and operations in an austere environment.”
The exercise was designed to challenge the capabilities of the participants by presenting them with the chance to train with mission partners. Along with all of the other events, the players participated in an agile combat exercise to move munitions from a C-130 Hercules aircraft to awaiting F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. This is the first time this has been done in the United States Air Forces in Europe’s history.
“We have been given such a great training opportunity here,” Brouillette said. “The men and women from the Bulgarian armed forces are eager to show us what they can do. This training is a great way for us to showcase not only our abilities, but the abilities of our partners too.”
Repeated training exercises and collaborations between allied and partner forces allow U.S. and Bulgarian armed forces the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences to create a stronger international coalition.
“Bulgaria offers us a unique environment to train with our NATO partner,” said Capt. David Tart, 435th CRG lead white cell officer. “We can get training here that we can’t get back at our home station. It also gives us the opportunity to grow together.”
Along with training with the Bulgarian armed forces, U.S. Airmen were able to participate in unconventional and specialized events.
“We don’t get a lot of opportunities to go out and fly with our NATO partners so for us to come out here and fly our aircraft with theirs offers us a huge opportunity,” said Brouillette. “The country of Bulgaria offers us different types of training such as landing on a highway, landing at various landing zones and abandoned air force bases.”
Because of this exercise, the partnership between the U.S. and Bulgaria has grown over the years and members from both nations are appreciative for the training and friendships they have made.
“We are always happy to come out and train with the Bulgarian armed forces,” said Brouillette. “They are such gracious hosts and always bend over backwards to accommodate us and get us what we need. I’m proud to know we have such a dedicated partner on our team and I hope this exercise goes on for years to come.”
