On June 4 Commander of the U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) Lt Gen Donald M. Campbell and his delegation conducted the first formal visit to the Headquarters of the Lithuanian Land Force. Commander of the Land Force Major General Almantas Leika presented to the guest his branch of service and discussed with him the perspectives of further cooperation at the land force-level.
"We, Americans, are not something else, we are learning from you just like you are learning from us. Doubtlessly, your experience gained in multinational operations is beneficial to us too," Commander of the U.S. Army Europe said. The guest also assured that the U.S. Army will continue supporting the militaries of the countries that were currently serving alongside the U.S.A. in Afghanistan after the end of the operation too.
"The Lithuanian Land Force has been developing close cooperation with USAREUR for several years. The annual USAREUR-organised exercise "Saber Strike 2013" currently in progress in the Baltic States where our troops are working side-by-side with their U.S. counterparts is an example of that cooperation. The kindness that General Campbell has shown us today proves once again that the U.S. Land Force will remain one of our key partners in military cooperation in the future", Commander of the Land Force Maj Gen A.Leika said.
During the discussions Gen Campbell said he was open to Lithuania's further participation in the future USAREUR-organised annual military training events. He also reassured the support to the Lithuanian Land Force in training military specialists of various specific areas and invited the leadership and staff personnel of the Land Force to come on a study trip to USAREUR Headquarters in Germany.
The recent meeting of Maj Gen A. Leika and Lt Gen Donald M. Campbell took place this January in Wiesbaden, Germany, at a USAREUR change of command ceremony.
Photos and press release by Capt Mindaugas Neimontas, PAO for the Lithuanian Land Force, cell phone 00370 640 45 380.
