Farewell ceremony for the rotational troops of Portugal was held at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin before their deploying home. The soldiers of Portugal spent four months of training with units of the Motorised Infantry Brigade Griffin and colleagues from the Lithuanian Navy and the Special Operations Forces.
Commander of the MIB Griffin Colonel Artūras Radvilas wished strength to the leaving Portuguese soldiers and thanked for the experience shared during various joint exercises of NATO allies and Lithuanian soldiers. Commander of the Portuguese rotation Lieutenant Commander Ricardo Pereira Da Silva thanked for the training conditions, great time and new experience.
The soldiers of Portugal were based at Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion in Klaipėda throughout the rotation since July and trained mostly with colleagues from the same Battalion.
The Portuguese soldiers had their own military equipment – all-terrain vehicles, tactical boats. Full Host Nation Support (lodging, meals, other logistical support) was ensured by the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
It has been the fifth time that soldiers of Portugal were deployed to Lithuania as part the deterrence measures agreed by NATO for the eastern border of the Alliance in response to the Russian intervention in Ukraine. NATO allies demonstrate unity and resolve to ensure security in the region when sending forces to Lithuania.
Rotational land force companies from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, U.S., Poland, Luxembourg, Hungary and Germany have already trained in Lithuania since spring 2014 when NATO Assurance Measures were introduced by the eastern border of the Alliance. A new rotation, 500 soldiers of the United States with equipment, will deploy in Lithuania in October.
Photo credits: Laura Jokšaitė
