An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Aug. 21, 2013

Bulgarian flyers complete military leadership program in Tennessee

By Master Sgt. Mike R. Smith I.G. Brown Training and Education Center

MCGHEE TYSON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Tenn. - Two Bulgarian air force members recently completed professional military leadership education here through the Tennessee National Guard's State Partnership Program.

Sgt. Yordanka S. Petrova-Angelova attended six weeks of training at the NCO Academy and Cpl. Stoyko V. Stoykov attended five weeks of Airman Leadership School.

The two Bulgarian students successfully graduated along with 334 U.S. service members from across the Air Force, the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve Command and the Coast Guard in a ceremony attended by Tennessee National Guard senior leaders and international guests such as Brig. Gen. Stefan Yanev, the defense attach of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Officials credited the efforts between the Paul H. Lankford Enlisted Professional Military Eeducation Center, the office of the Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), and State Partnership Program officers from Joint Forces Headquarters, Tennessee National Guard, for the successful program.

"The TEC's host wing, the 134th Air Refueling Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, played a key role in making this a success," said Chief Master Sgt. Donald E. Felch, the commandant of the Lankford EPME Center.

"Three hundred and thirty-six of you have worked together for many goals, for many weeks," he said to the graduates. "Your day has arrived. Be proud. We are proud of you."

Stoykov said he was thankful to both militaries for allowing him the opportunity to attend the training and represent his country.

"If I had the chance, I would do this again," he said. "Those things we learn here are not just written words, but things that are beneficial to our lives."

Governors and adjutants general in all 54 states and territories use their National Guards to build relationships in various corners of the world through the exchange program. The partnership between Tennessee and Bulgaria began more than 20 years ago.

"It started with a handshake and hopefully it will not end for a very long time," said Army Maj. Gen. Terry Haston, Tennessee's adjutant general, who has travelled to Bulgaria more than two dozen times.

"It's really good that they got to come here, because they got to start at the top," Haston said. "I know the quality that this academy provides."

Officials from both countries have voiced hope for sustained training opportunities for their service members.

 

 

Related Articles
U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 108th Medical Company Area Support, 213th Regional Support Group prepare dummies for a simulated casualty evacuation at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, July 17, 2025. The 108th Medical Company engaged in a weeklong field medical exercise to validate their readiness and elevate their medical and basic Soldier skills. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Christopher Booker)
Pennsylvania Guard Medics Simulate Chaos in Exercise
By Capt. Christopher Booker, | July 18, 2025
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. - Soldiers assigned to the Pennsylvania National Guard's 108th Medical Company Area Support, 213th Regional Support Group, are engaged in a comprehensive two-week field medical exercise here.The...

Nevada Air National Guard's 152nd Maintenance Group and 152nd Logistics Readiness Squadron personnel load Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) equipment onto MAFFS #8, aircraft #554 at the Nevada Air National Guard Base on July 12, 2025. U.S. Northern Command activated two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) Aircraft, one from the 152nd Airlift Wing out of Reno, Nevada, and one from the 146th Airlift Wing out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in California. Two C-130 aircraft equipped with MAFFS and their associated personnel will support firefighting efforts in the Western United States. The 152nd Airlift Wing’s “High Rollers” and 146th Airlift Wing's “Hollywood Guard” report on July 14, 2025, and will be initially based out of Channel Islands Air National Guard Base in California and are anticipated to be in place through August 14, 2025.
Nevada Air Guard Wing Assists in Firefighting Efforts
By Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber, | July 18, 2025
RENO, Nev. – U.S. Northern Command has activated two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System Aircraft, one from the Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd Airlift Wing out of Reno, Nevada, and one from the 146th Airlift Wing out of...

Air Force Gen. Steve Nordhaus, 30th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Senior Enlisted Advisor John Raines, SEA to the CNGB, join Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer, the adjutant general of Texas, for an aerial assessment of flood-affected areas in Central Texas and to visit Guardsmen on duty supporting civil authorities with response efforts, Kerrville, Texas, July 15, 2025. To date, National Guard search and rescue operations, led by the Texas National Guard, have resulted in the rescue of more than 525 Texans. Hundreds of Guardsmen remain on mission to continue working with interagency partners in search and rescue and recovery operations.
Nordhaus, Raines see Heroism, Partnerships in Central Texas
By Master Sgt. Zach Sheely, | July 18, 2025
KERRVILLE, Texas – Early on July 4, almost 30 inches of rain fell within hours across Central Texas’s Hill Country, surging the Guadalupe River and triggering catastrophic flash flooding.Within hours, Texas National Guard...