Bulgaria, a country in the Balkan peninsula that is the geographic size of Virginia with a population of nearly 7 million, is a small but willing NATO partner and the poorest member of the European Union. American training and partnership remain key elements in Bulgaria’s plans to modernize and transform their military forces, and will be especially necessary as Bulgaria modernizes its air force and reduces its dependency on Russian weapon systems.

Within the Bulgarian military is the 101st Alpinist Regiment. Members of this regiment served in Afghanistan alongside American servicemembers and other NATO servicemembers, and they are highly trained to fulfill mountain missions that no other Bulgarian soldiers can do. Having this capability in Bulgaria serves not only as a deterrent to aggressors, but also having a NATO partner with this specialized skill set serves the Alliance overall.

However, the 101st Alpinist Regiment lacks the proper safety gear to perform all their missions safely. This means these specialists must buy their own climbing gear, particularly their harnesses. In many cases one can see worn out harnesses in use with multiple stitches holding them together. In collaboration with the US Embassy in Sofia Bulgaria, Spirit of America purchased 10 climbing harnesses, thus ensuring the safety of the Bulgarian soldiers while also increasing the operational effectiveness of our NATO ally.

With your help, Spirit of America will help the 101st to more effectively defend Bulgaria. The cooperation between the United States and Bulgaria in all spheres – military, economic, and more – attests to the strength and longevity of the relationship between the two countries, and Spirit of America is honored to help build that relationship.