October 12, a week-long staff evaluation exercise "Strong Lion 2012" concluded in Pajuostys (Panevėžio Distr.). The event organised and evaluated by the Lithuanian Land Force Headquarters with assistance from the Danish military advisors involved over 130 troops from Lithuania and 10 military advisors from Denmark.
""Strong Lion 2012" is unique because for the first time the organisational part was done by the Lithuanian Land Force Headquarters. It gave an excellent opportunity to train for both - the evaluating team and the evaluated training audience. In the future I will continue requesting for superior Land Force headquarters to train their subordinate staffs. I am convinced that this is a way to ensure a better mutual understanding, coordination and to become better prepared to complete the tasks of territorial defence," summarised the concluded training event Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Maj Gen Almantas Leika.
During the exercise the military decision-making process and interaction with superior command was trained, the Brigade's mobile command deployed and installed, radio and wire-transmitted communications channels were installed in line with approved procedures of the "Iron Wolf" Headquarters. After the exercise staff officers of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade (MIB) "Iron Wolf" will continue enhancing and updating standard staff operational procedures.
"Stron Lion 2012" trained the Brigade's abilities to plan defence operations in the territory of Lithuania where the Brigade acted according to the exercise scenario as a part of a fictitious Baltic Division. In the final phase of the exercise the "Iron Wolf" Commander's operational order to conduct a defence operation was prepared and delivered to the commanders of the Brigade's battalions.
"The exercise was successful from the aspect that sufficient time was given for the staff to complete all the steps necessary in the decision-making process, therefore I am really satisfied with the quality of the produce achieved. Motivation and initiative displayed by the staff personnel is also worth mentioning," said Commander of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" Col Valdemaras Rupšys in the hotwash of the exercise. Following the tradition "Iron Wolf" Commander presented the Commander's exercise coin to a participant of the exercise for the best performance. This year the coin was presented to Capt Romualdas Gečionis, specialist of the Operations Section of the Brigade's Headquarters.
Lithuanian-Danish defence cooperation project LITBRIG was launched in 2006 binding Danish military to deliver comprehensive training to the Mechanised Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" until the end of 2014 enabling it to conduct the full scale of NATO operations in line with NATO requirements . To that end Denmark has been organising annual training events for the MIB "Iron Wolf" both in Lithuania and Denmark for six years. As the end of the project approaches the Lithuanian Land Force Headquarters in gradually taking over the Brigade's combat training functions from the Danish military advisors.
PR Officer of the Lithuanian Land Force Capt Mindaugas Neimontas,cell phone 00370 640 45 380.
