06/16/2026
As Bulgaria received its first Stryker vehicles this spring, a small team of Washington Army National Guard soldiers traveled more than 5,000 miles to pass on the knowledge, skills, and lessons learned from years behind the wheel and under the hood of the eight-wheeled armored vehicles.
"The interactions between the Bulgarian and American military personnel will be aimed at supporting training and gaining operational understanding of the platform," said Brig. Gen. Paul Sellars, commanding general of the Washington Army National Guard, during a visit to Bulgaria. "We spent ten years with these machines and we appreciate the opportunity to find them a suitable new home, as well as to see the motivation and desire of the people to train."
From March through June, 2026, a four-member Washington Army National Guard Mobile Training Team worked alongside soldiers from the Bulgarian Land Forces' 61st Mechanized Brigade, providing operator and maintenance familiarization training.
A four-member Washington Army National Guard Mobile Training Team traveled to Bulgaria from March through June 2026 to train soldiers from the Bulgarian Land Forces' 61st Mechanized Brigade on the operation and maintenance of newly acquired Stryker armored vehicles.
