On July 24 at 6 p.m. the command of the Lithuanian Armed Forces will change over at a ceremony in the Cathedral Square: General Valdemaras Rupšys will relinquish as Chief of Defence of Lithuania to General Raimundas Vaikšnoras.
The event will be attended by President of the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė, Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kaščiūnas, Chair of the NATO Military Committee Adm Rob Bauer, Chief of Defence of Estonia Maj Gen Andrus Merilo, Chief of Defence of Latvia Lt Gen Leonīds Kalninš, Chief of Defence of Portugal Gen Jose Nunes da Fonseca, Commander of the NATO Multinational Northeast Corps Maj Gen Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, commanders of services and units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, commanders of Allied contingents in Lithuania, foreign defence attachés, representatives of NGOs, and other distinguished guests.
The parade at the ceremony with Commander Land Force Brig Gen Artūras Radvilas as Parade Commander will feature state and Armed Forces flags of the Republic of Lithuania and color guards representing all services and units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Before the appointment as Chief of Defence, Gen R. Vaikšnoras was the Assistant Chief of Staff for combat training at the Joint Force Command Brunssum, he had also been the Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force, Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, Lithuanian Grand Duke Headquarters Battalion, and held other positions of command and as staff officer in the Lithuanian Armed Forces, he also was deployed to the international operation in Afghanistan. .
Gen R. Vaikšnoras began service in the National Defence System in 1991. He graduated from General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania and the United States Army War College, as well as from different courses at the Danish Military School, NATO School in Germany, International Joint Task Force Headquarters in Sweden, Baltic Defence College in Estonia, NATO Cyber Security Centre of Excellence in Estonia. Gen R. Vaikšnoras is a holder of the Medal of the Founding Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and other Lithuanian Armed Forces and National Defence System decorations for merits, investment and distinguished service.
Related image, credit: Lithuanian Armed Forces
