Commander of Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) Maj. Gen. Frank J. Kisner visited Lithuanian Special Operations Forces together with Ambassador of the USA to Lithuania HE Anne Derse. Maj. Gen. Frank J. Kisner is also the Director of NATO SOF Coordination Centre (NSCC). Maj. Gen. F. J. Kisner met with the Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas.
During the stay the guest visited Training Centre of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces (SOF), familiarised with the structure, tasks, and combat training of troops of the Lithuanian SOF, as well as with tasks conducted by members of the Lithuanian SOF deployed to the multinational mission in Afghanistan.
Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius commented on the visit of Commander SOCEUR in the Lithuanian SOF: „Professionality and high motivation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces SOF has been proved in international operations since long ago. Lithuanian SOPF are implementing tasks highly appreciated by our partners - and these are not my words only, I keep hearing it from the NATO Allies ".
During the visit further cooperation of Lithuanian and the US SOF and organisation of joint SOF training were addressed along with a multinational military special operations training exercise, „Jackal Stone" to be held in 2010 by SOCEUR in Lithuania and Poland.
The guests honoured the memory of "the green/forest brothers" of the post period and placed flowers at the memorial for the post-war fighters.
In the mission in Afghanistan troops of the Lithuanian SOF together with allied forces conduct special reconnaissance, identification, detention and neutralization of insurgents, and other high intensity combat tasks.
Lithuanian Special Operations Forces has been deploying military to the mission in southern Afghanistan since February 2007.
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