On June 4 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis attended via technology a Baltic Defence College graduation ceremony and extended congratulations to military officers and civil servants who had been improving professional skills at the Higher Command Studies Course.
“Security particularly depends on cooperation, understanding, and respect for one another. The College is a special venue that provides the opportunity for both, allies and partners to learn from each other and share knowledge,” Minister of National Defence R. Karoblis said in his graduation speech, congratulating the Course students and wishing them to use all the skills and knowledge gained at the Baltic Defence College in their further careers.
20 senior officers and civilians from 12 countries graduated from the Course this year.
The Higher Command Studies Course is attended by civilian personnel and military officers of national defence systems of different countries, including the Baltics, NATO, European Union, and partner countries Ukraine and Georgia. The 5-month long course prepares students for strategic level leadership positions and international headquarters.
The ceremony was also distance-attended by Minister of Defence of Latvia and Estonia.
About the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL)
The Baltic Defence College is a joint Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian education institution for operational and strategic level officers and civilian personnel studies based in Tartu, Estonia.
The agreement of establishing the BALTDEFCOL was signed by the three Baltic states’ Defence Ministers in 1998, the College was inaugurated on 25 February 1999.
The Baltic Defence College is a joint project of the three Baltic states established with assistance of NATO allies. It is recognised in many NATO countries which is reflected by officers from other countries studying along with Baltic students. Also, Lithuania provides funding for the studies of Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan students at the BALTDEFCOL.
The current Commandant of the Baltic Defence College is Maj Gen Andis Dilans of the Latvian Armed Forces – he took over from Maj Gen Vitalijus Vaikšnoras of the Lithuanian Armed Forces who was in office from December 2012 to June 2016. In June 2020 he will relinquish to Col Ilmar Tamm of the Estonian Armed Forces. In 2004-2007 the College was supervised by Brig Gen Algis Vaičeliūnas of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The BALTDEFCOL Commandants are assigned on a rotational basis by the three Baltic states.
The great majority of units commanders in the Lithuanian Armed Forces are BALTDEFCOL graduates.
Photo credits: Giedrė Maksimovicz (MoD)
