On June 12-13 Commander of the US Army Europe (USAREUR) Lieutenant General Christopher G. Cavoli. The US General, in command of USAREUR since the middle of January, was visiting Lithuania for the first time, to see the progress of Saber Strike 2018, an exercise organised by the force under his command.
On June 12 Lt Gen Ch. Cavoli met with Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas in Vilnius. Generals discussed the security situation in the region and topical aspects of NATO agenda and bilateral Lithuanian-US cooperation. Later Chief of Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and staff personnel briefed the guest on the analysis of the security situation, Armed State Defence Concept, and the concept of Exercise Saber Strike 2018 held in the Baltic and Poland on June 3-15 and the situation in Lithuania.
On the margins of the visit Commander USAREUR also met with Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Brig Gen Valdemaras Rupšys to discuss topical aspects of cooperation between the Lithuanian and the US armies.
Saber Strike is an annual international exercise held by the US Army Europe since 2010 to enhance interoperability of participating forces through and in conduct of wide spectrum operations. This year the exercise was focused on increasing interoperability across the operational domains of land, air and sea, and joint training with the NATO enhanced Forward Presence, Force Integration Units, and rotational forces deployed in the Baltic states and Poland. In total, 6.6 thousand troops are training together in Lithuania during Saber Strike 2018, while the total number of training audience across all countries is over 18 thousand troops from 19 countries.
USAREUR is an operational level US Army force based on the Seventh United States Army, subordinate to the US European Command (EUCOM) in Stuttgart (Germany). USAREUR is led from the HQ USAREUR based in Wiesbaden, Germany, and responsible for training, provision and certification of forces for wide spectrum operations, for the strategic approach for US forces to Europe and inside it, for the support to US allies, and for strengthening partnerships.
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj Mindaugas Neimontas
+370 5 278 5091, +370 682 25359, mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
Photo credits: G. Maksimovicz
