BULGARIA PUTTING COMBINED ENDEAVOR TO USE

Anthony Shaheen
Combined Endeavor Public Relations Office

BAUMHOLDER, Germany (May 20, 2001) – Combined Endeavor allows countries to employ technology that was not accessible before. This way participating countries can learn the latest technology. Bulgaria is a good example of this. The country’s delegation has taken information learned during Combined Endeavor 2001 and already put it to use in Bulgaria, making communication their easier and more efficient. 

The delegation has used the high frequency links to connect Bulgaria and one of its stations in Bosnia pointed out Col. Ivan Ivanov, Bulgaria’s delegation chief. Col. Technology for the links and modem was learned here at Combined Endeavor 2001, known as CE 2001.

Combined Endeavor is the largest communications and information systems exercise in the world. The exercise, sponsored by U.S. European Command and hosted by Germany in the spirit of “Partnership for Peace,” is held annually to test and document the interoperability of dozens of countries and NATO. There are 37 different nations and over 1,000 people participating in Combined Endeavor 2001, which runs from May 10 to 24 at the German military training installation Lager Aulenbach, near Baumholder.

“I think it is a very important exercise because our people have the opportunity to learn, see, make, and practice with the digital system. We do not have a digital system at home,” remarked Ivanov.

It is obvious from Ivanov’s words that Bulgaria benefits from this technology exchange. “I think this knowledge that we have received here will help in the practice of our troops, and, next year, we will come with digital technology. All this information is an asset to our country,” Ivanov noted.

Still, CE 2001 is more than learning new technology; it is learning about countries, cultures and how to relate multinationally. Exercises like CE 2001 help put faces to countries and establish better relations.

“Combined Endeavor in the beginning was a very small family, but now it is very large. It establishes good relations with people, and it makes it easier to work side by side,” concluded Ivanov.

Col. Ivan Ivanov and Lt. Col. Anton Ivanov, both from the Bulgarian delegation, relay information during the set up for Combined Endeavor 2001 at the exercise site at Lager Aulenbach, Germany on 9 May 01. Their team is participating in Combined Endeavor 2001 the largest Communications and Information Systems (CIS) exercise in the world. (U.S. Air Force Photo by A1C Bradley C. Church) (RELEASED)  

Lt. Col. Anton Ivanov, the switch team leader from Bulgaria, is testing a personal computer media card during the testing phase of Combined Endeavor 2001. The exercise, sponsored by U.S. European Command and hosted by Germany in the spirit of "Partnership for Peace," is held annually, and there are 37 countries participating this year. U.S Air Force Photo by Staff Sgt. Omolara Akinretoye