September 9-17, troops to be deployed as the third rotation of Provincial Reconstruction Team Lithuania maintains in Ghor, Afghanistan, participate in a firing exercise in Pabradė Military Area (Švenčionių Distr.).
In the exercise soldiers used assault rifles G-36, pistols „Glock 32", machine guns FN MAG, mortars.
During such exercise troops conduct practical actions and firing tasks of various levels of complexity with their assigned weapons, drill their weapon-handling skills, correct posture and movement, pulling firing trigger and aiming technique.
It is one of the first pre-mission training events for PRT-13 before deployment to Afghanistan. PRT-13 personnel will improve individual skills and conduct individual tasks likely to occur in the mission. Situations of pre-mission training are planned with reference to experience of previous missions.
PRT-13 is based on King Mindaugas Mechanised Infantry Battalion, the 13th shift will be deployed to Afghanistan in May 2011.
Mindaugas Battalion sends personnel for Provincial Reconstruction Team for a second time; band with silver-plated emblem and plate on the Battalion's flag marks its participation in the ISAF mission in 2008 with the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT-6).
The Lithuanian-led PRT in Ghor is a joint civilian-military mission, a part of NATO's ISAF, that was launched in Ghor in summer of 2005. The main task of the mission is to help Government of Afghanistan to extend authority in the province, ensure security and create environment for provincial reconstruction.
As the Lithuanian-led PRT of Ghor increases its attention to training Afghan National Security Forces, establishment of Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (POMLT) is planned in Ghor by the end of the year.
Ghor, located in the central part of Afghanistan, is relatively safe because of its geographical position and underdeveloped infrastructure. However, insurgent movement is sometimes spotted there as well.
At the moment the 11th rotation of the Lithuanian-led PRT serve in Afghanistan, the shift is based on the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion located in Tauragės Distr. Kęstutis Battalion provides personnel for the PRT mission for a second time. The majority of personnel in the shift have been deployed to multinational missions in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan previously.
Representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Poland, Finland and Ukraine serve together with Lithuanian military and civilian personnel in Ghor PRT camp in Chaghcharan.
PIO for PRT-13 1st Lt Paulius Babilas, pictures by 1st Lt Paulius Babilas.
