On February 6 through 10 Chief of Defence of Lithuania General Raimundas Vaikšnoras is on a formal visit in Canada. General has met with top command of the Armed Forces of Germany and the U.S. Special Operations Forces and visited the Lithuanian delegation for the first time competing in the Invictus Games on behalf of Lithuania.
“It is the honour and duty of every military to take care of those members who sustained injuries while on duty. I am thrilled that one of my first action as Chief of Defence was to sign the contract with the Invictus Games Foundation. By being members of this society we show clearly that we care about every Lithuanian servicemember, as well as our support of those who sustained serious traumas or injuries while on duty,” said Chief of Defence greeting the Lithuanian delegation in the Invictus Games.
The Invictus Games, an athletic, socialization and cultural event for military servicemembers severely injured on duty has been held since 2014 under patronage of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. This year it is for the first time attended by Lithuanian competitors with accompanying staff. Over 500 servicemembers who have sustained different types of injury on duty from the 23 Invictus Community Nations compete in the event in Vancouver.
During the visit, Chief of Defence had a bilateral meeting with the Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada General Jennie Carignan with whom the directions of current cooperation and the developing threat of China to the democratic world were discussed. Generals also talked about the possibility for Lithuanian NCOs and officers to study at operational and strategic-level courses in Canada.
While in Vancouver, the Chief of Defence’s delegation also discussed the more than 30 years of U.S. Special Operations Forces’ assistance to the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces and further development of the Baltic Sea Region Component Headquarters at a meeting with Commander of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) General Bryan P. Fenton.
