On March 14, 2011 Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė presented combat flag to Commander of the Special Operations Forces of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Official ceremony was attended by Maj Gen Arvydas Pocius, Chief of Defence of Lithuania, Ordinary of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Bishop Gintaras Grušas, representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, commanders of elements of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and other guests.
„Etymology of the word "vėliava" ("flag") derives" from "vėlė" - "dead person's spirit" that protects the living. So I would like to wish the Special Operations Forces to have all the protection of our ancestors' spirits," R.Juknevičienė, Minister of National Defence said.
Chief of Defence emphasized when addressing formation of the Special Operations Forces that it required much effort and took place slowly but surely and finally reached its destination crowned by the presentation of combat flag.
Minister R. Juknevičienė, Maj Gen A. Pocius, Commander Special Operations Forces Col Saulius Guzevičius, and Ordinary of the Lithuanian Armed Forces bishop G. Grušas fastened material of the flag to the staff by symbolic nails, and bishop G. Grušas sanctified the flag. 
„It is a great and important day for the Special Operations Forces. From now on we will be drawn together even tighter and accompanied on our tasks by the Special Operations Forces combat flag. It is our symbol and coronation of a decade of work. We must be proud of our combat flag and carry it high like a flaming sword," said Commander Special Operations Forces.
In the centre of SOF combat flag a gold-colored saber aflame is placed blade-up on a purple background. Circular sunrays are positioned on both sides of the saber. Three sides of the flag are decorated with fringes on the outside, and oak-leaf garland parallel to all the sides on the inside. Pillars of Gediminas are embroidered in yellow in the corners and framed in green by the oak-leaf garland.
Flags have had both symbolic and practical meaning since long ago - they used to help soldiers orientate in a battle field, in the Middle Ages they were valued as spoil of battle, and correspondingly losing a flag was one of the greatest possible impacts on war leaders' and warriors' morale. Today's combat flag stands as a continuation of warfare traditions. It enjoys particular respect - soldiers make oaths to it, say their vale to it when rotating from the unit, combat flag is deployed to multinational missions together with troops. The flag also serves as a chronicle of a battalion's history - collective defence operation earns a gilded sign and a plaque attached to a combat flag, participation in other multinational operations - a silver-plated sign and plaque, and standby in NATO and EU response forces - a bronze sign and plaque.
Moments from the ceremony of presenting combat flag to LITHSOF
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Official ceremony was attended by Maj Gen Arvydas Pocius | Ordinary of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Bishop Gintaras Grušas during the ceremony |
LITHSOF info
Pictures by Giedrė Maksimovicz
