August 11, Joint Headquarters of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Vilnius, two members of the Lithuanian Armed Forces received decorations after the NATO Training Mission -Iraq (NTM-I). Col Vilmantas Tamošaitis, Chief of Joint Headquarters, presented medals for multinational operations to Capt Vidmantas Marčinskas and SSgt Audrius Knapkevičius.
Capt V. Marčinskas has been serving for a half of year in the Iraqi Military Academy at NTM-I Headquarters, Union III Forward Operating Base. SSgt A. Knapkevičius was an instructor at the Taji Sergeant School in Iraq and helped training sergeants for Iraqi forces.
The returned troops were replaced by other military personnel of Lithuania.
The goal of the NATO Training Mission-Iraq is to ensure training of Iraqi security forces and render technical assistance in cooperation with Iraqi government and international authorities for Iraqi security.
JHQ PAO Capt Marius Varna
