On the 13-15th of August Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Major General Jonas Vytautas Žukas visited Poland, where he went by an official invitation of recently appointed Division General Zbigniew Glowienka, Commander of Land Force of the Polish Armed Forces.
During the visit Maj. Gen. J. V. Žukas met with Div. Gen. Z. Glowienka, participated in an annual international soldier pilgrim march, and in the events for celebration of the Polish Armed Forces Day.
On the 14th of August Maj. Gen. J. V. Žukas met with soldiers participating in the pilgrim march to Mary Temple Jasna Gora, organized by Field Ordinariate of the Polish Armed Forces, among which were representatives of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Maj. Gen. J. V. Žukas also took part in the city of Czestochowa, Jasna Gora Temple sacrificing St Mass, in the ceremony of placing flowers on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier; met with high rank representatives of the Polish Church and monks.
Ten Lithuanian volunteer soldiers are taking part in the march which started from the Field Cathedral of the Polish Armed Forces in Warsaw on the 5th of August. Lithuanian Armed Forces are represented by volunteer soldiers of the 803rd Company of the 8th Territorial Unit of Didžioji Kova Military District of the National Defence Volunteer Force as they join the march for the fifth time. During nine days march participants must pass approx. 360 km. In this march also are participating soldiers from USA, Poland, Slovakia, and Germany.
On the 15th of August Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Maj. Gen. J. V. Žukas took part in the events for celebration of the Polish Armed Forces Day, which started with St Mass sacrificing in Warsaw situated the Field Cathedral of the Polish Armed Forces. Later on guests will follow parade of the Polish Armed Forces; will participate in the ceremony of placing flowers by the monument of Marshal Jozef Pilsudski.
Maj. Gen. J. V. Žukas met with newly-appointed Commander of Land Force Div. Gen. Z. Glowienka for the first time. Div. Gen. Z. Glowienka was appointed to this position after the death of Commander of Land Force Maj. Gen. Tadeusz Buk during March's air catastrophe in Russia. Till the appointment to a new position Div. Gen. Z. Glowienka was on a commander's duty for the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Force Corps.
Land Force of the Lithuanian and the Polish Armed Forces already more than decade cooperate in different fields and take part in various collective projects. In this half-year soldiers of King Mindaugas Mechanized Infantry Battalion kept watch in the EU Tactical Group, supervised by Poland; since the 1st of July EOD Platoon of the Lithuanian Armed Forces this half-year keep watch in the NATO Response Force, on the strength of the Polish EOD Company. Under agreement of the parties, in 1999-2007 year period general Lithuanian and Polish Battalion, named by LITPOLBAT, was formed. Together with Polish soldiers, in 1999-2009 Lithuanians participated in the International Mission in Kosovo (on the strength of NATO KFOR Forces), and in the International Mission in Iraq (on the strength of LITDET Platoon) in 2003-2005. Currently several Lithuanian officers serve in Poland Szczesin city-located NATO North-East Corps.
For more information please contact Capt. Mindaugas Neimontas, Land Force Public Relations Officer, mob. phone: 00370 640 45380.
