The US and Bulgarian Military Police have conducted joint training at Red Tower Range, Novo Selo, to enhance their force protection and active shooter response operations.
The event involved a rescue simulation in which a 10-man team was ordered to clear a building occupied by armed hostage-takers and safely extract hostages.
Strategies focused on entry methods, communication, and threat neutralization were all observed in real-time for comparison and lessons between the US and Bulgarian techniques.
“It was a privilege to witness the impressive demonstration of capabilities by our host nation Bulgarian military police,” US Army Garrison Black Sea Commander Lt. Col. Christopher Kuszniaj commented.
“Collaborating with our Bulgarian partners not only strengthens our bonds but also enhances our overall readiness. By training side by side, we continuously look for ways to improve our protection measures, ensuring we are always prepared to respond effectively.”
Breaking Barriers
According to the US, the training underscored the “roles, responsibilities, lines of authority, and operations” in incidents presented.
It also exhibited coordination and interoperability between the nations’ respective military police forces during joint patrols and associated security tasks.
Additionally, the groups were taught “differences in culture and ways of operation” as well as other planning, policies, and reactions that would hinder current and future force protection efforts.
“This demonstration gave our partners an opportunity to assess the differences between US and Bulgarian MP procedures,” Bulgarian Military Police Commander Col. Mitko Mitev stated.
“Identifying these differences improves our ability to work together on incidents of this nature and increases overall levels of cooperation.”
At the event’s conclusion, the participants accepted a certificate of appreciation to honor the US and Bulgarian personnel’s performance.
Activities similar to the Novo Selo training are expected in the future to further bolster relations between the nations’ military police.