On November 25 celebration of the 105th anniversary of the Lithuanian Armed Forces rocked the Constitution Avenue. The celebration parade was formed by military personnel from 19 NATO Allies and displayed over 100 pieces of military equipment.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces, Allied forces and equipment parade was attended by President of the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda, Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Gen Valdemaras Rupšys, and distinguished guests – Chief of Defence of Estonia Gen Martin Herem, Chief of Defence of Latvia Lt Gen Leonīds Kalniņš, Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Gen Carsten Breuer, Commander of the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast Lt Gen Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, Commander of the German 41st Panzer Grenadier Brigade Brig Gen Christian Nawrat, and others.
President of the Republic of Lithuania G. Nausėda praised in his address to the troops Lithuania’s readiness for national defence, approval of the plans for stationing the German brigade an the commenced work ahead of hosting the German Allies.
“Lithuanian Armed Forces Day is a holiday for fortitude, responsibility and unity among all of us – Lithuania and our NATO Allies. We are the guarantor of our security and the constructors of our success story. The strength of Lithuania depends on the effort and support of all of us. Today we are proud to have a strong, modern, clock-work Lithuanian Armed Forces whose combat capability is growing. We are facing a historical chance to ensure yet another qualitative step forward. The Armed Forces is updated in view of different defence scenarios and ready to respond. Our Allies are right next to us and contributing to the security across the region,” underscored Minister of National Defence A. Anušauskas in his address at the event.
Chief of Defence of Lithuania said congratulating NATO and Lithuanian troops “Fire to fire. The hotbed of threats. I am entrusted with a message from the force to you: as we stand here today, the same way we would present ourselves to defend homes and families of all of us. You can hear debates of development of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and defence plans. A serious no-joke military must have the capability of division to grow, tanks mean maneuver and firepower on the battlefield. But the plan has been constructed that it would take just a signal even today and we would know what we need to do to respond and we are ready to do it.”
The 16th Lithuanian Warrior Awards were bestowed on the occasion in recognition of selfless, noble or risk-taking actions.
This year it was given to the team of the Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, for ensuring the saving emergency care to a Czech servicemember deployed to serve in Lithuania who suffered a severe head trauma in an incident this August.
The parade was commanded by Brigadier General Artūras Radvilas, Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force. Over 1400 Lithuanian and Allied troops, including representatives of all nations contributing to the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Latvia led by Canada and color guard of the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast Headquarters (NMCNE), marched down the Constitution Avenue.
The audience was shown over 100 pieces of military equipment: the Vilkas infantry fighting vehicles of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, NASAMS air defence systems, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, Abrams main battle tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, Paladin self-propelled howitzers of the United States Allies, Leopard tanks of the German Bundeswehr, Puma and Marder infantry fighting vehicles and many other types.
The Spartan cargo aircraft and the Dauphin helicopters of the Lithuanian Air Force greeted the audience and participants with a flight over the Constitution Avenue. The commemoration wrapped with a song “Kanonada” written by Marijonas Mikutavičius for the Lithuanian Armed Forces and performed by Justinas Lapatinskas.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces birthday was celebrated through the entire week in Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, ir Tauragė. The audience was able to enjoy drill formations, equipment and weaponry displays, etc.
Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras signed the Law on the Ministry of Defence No. 1 on 23 November 1918 thus establishing the Defence Service. The Armed Forces re-established under this law fought their first battles for the independence of Lithuania just months later. Therefore the 23rd of November is marked as Lithuanian Armed Forces Day.
Photo credit: SSgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė
