The new military campus inaugurated in Rokantiškės on February 5 will house Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion. The 17.7 ha area of the campus includes administrative and special purpose buildings: barracks, mess-hall, headquarters, medical facility, indoor and outdoor fitness facilities, club area with a chapel, and then also technical buildings and other kinds of infrastructure.
The inauguration was attended by Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė who underscored that building up national security was a lengthy and critically important process, “We will have plenty of work to do not just for now but also in the future in order to build a stronger defence, security, resilience, and the Armed Forces, as well as to provide the conditions of sufficient quality for a NATO military and to our partners who deploy here for training and will come on a permanent basis. A proper infrastructure is important so that servicemembers can feel the care of their home country, the evident focus on their welfare, the respect and the aim to provide respectable conditions of service each day.”
Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas underscored at the event the role the Rokantiškės campus in terms of security. “Deployment of Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion in the Rokantiškės military campus is very important from the security perspective: it is the first time a full-value combat battalion is stationed by the side of Vilnius , the impact on security of the capital is very significant. We have create excellent conditions for the Battalion members to fulfil their service, once the campus has been kicked off, it opens new opportunities for local businesses, new civilian jobs.”
The new military facility was inaugurated with a cannon salute, a blessing, and the guests were shown round the new barracks, mess hall, sports facilities. The entire project, including the construction, maintenance and services, is worth approx. EUR 74 million (VAT included). It has been implemented via PPP, Public-Private Partnership with Darnu Group UAB developer.
“This day is a particular pleasure: the Rokantiškės military campus is official dedicated to Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion. Thanks to the concentrated efforts of the state this particularly “vagabond” military unit will now have a permanent home base with excellent NATO-level conditions. Quality training, service and combat readiness conditions we see at Rokantiškės are vital for good motivation and morale of the military building readiness for defence,” said Chief of Defence General Valdemaras Rupšys.
Commander Duke Vaidotas Infantry Battalion Lt Col Irmantas Petaraitis praised the new home of his military units as well. “Moving in the vicinity of Vilnius means our temporary stationing Marijampolė has ended and we have a permanent base finally. The campus offers every kind of infrastructure a battalion needs to ensure proper conditions for professional military service and Continuous Mandatory Military Service recruits,” he said.
The campuses in Rokantiškės, Pajūris Town, and in Šiauliai were designed and have been built to include the full array of battalion-sized unit infrastructure that meets the needs of a modern military. All the three new facilities will accommodate up to 2.4 thousand military or civilian personnel of the National Defence System. The worth of all three facilities, including constructions, infrastructure maintenance and services amounts EUR 231 million (VAT inlcuded).
Photo credit: MoD / Private Recruit K. Kavolėlis
