On May 19 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas met with Adjutant General of Pennsylvania Maj Gen Mark J. Schindler conducting a visit to Lithuania. He briefed the guest on the current regional security situation, assistance to Ukraine, joint projects and further cooperation. The importance of cooperation on cybersecurity was underscored. A. Anušauskas pointed out the objective to maintain a persistent presence of U.S. combat capabilities in Lithuania.
“We are grateful to the Pennsylvania National Guard for all the support to Lithuania’s military capability development, it is a direct contribution to a stronger Lithuanian security. Next year we will mark the 30th anniversary of partnership which is immensely important to us. The United States remains a cornerstone security and defence guarantor in the Baltic region. We are also very glad to see PANG troops training in Lithuania,” said A. Anušauskas.
Troops of the 1st Battalion, 109th Field Artillery Regiment of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard with organic equipment are currently training at Exercise Flaming Thunder 2022, honing interoperability between U.S. and Lithuanian units here in Lithuania. Flaming Thunder is a part of Exercise Defender Europe 2022 held by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa in May in Europe.
Maj Gen M. J. Schindler is conducting a visit to Lithuania on May 18-21, he will meet with Chief of Defence Lt Gen Valdemaras Rupšys to discuss joint military training and activity and plans ahead.
The Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the largest and oldest guards in the U.S. defence system Lithuania has a longstanding close partnership with. It has been rendering every kind of support to the National Defence Volunteer Force, training Lithuanian instructors and attending various joint exercises for 29 years. The Pennsylvania National Guard renders comprehensive assistance in the project of procuring UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for the Lithuanian Armed Forces an delivers training for Lithuanian military pilots who will fly them.
The active cooperation between the Lithuanian Land Force and the PANG is based on a military cooperation agreement signed with the PANG 28th Infantry Division and subordinate units in 2019. It has been agreed to develop a division-level command and control capability in the Land Force Staff structure. Other services that collaborate with the PANG are the Lithuanian Air Force and the Training and Doctrine Command.
