On August 12 friendly small football games took place in Lithuanian Air Force Aviation Base between teams of the Aviation Base and Czech soldiers deployed on the NATO Baltic Air-policing mission.
One team of the Aviation Base personnel and two - of the Czech Air Contingent - joined the match. Each team made of five players and a goalkeeper was supported by a flock of fans. Three matches were played in the tournament. Second Czech team won the friendly small football games with Pavel Maštalířský and Jan Dušek kicking the winning goals.
Winners were awarded with a cup of the games and remembrance gifts by the Head of Staff and Acting Head of the Aviation Base lt. Col. Virginijus Steponavičius and Acting Chief Warrant Officer of the Aviation Base SWO Smbat Torosian.
Football games between teams of the Aviation Base and air contingents on NATO Air-policing mission have already become a tradition. Many times teams from Romanian, French, Spanish, German and other armed forces met with the Aviation Base's team in a football field.
Czech Air Contingent provides protection of the Baltic airspace with four JAS-39 „Gripen" fighters from May 2009. The Contingent is made of 75 soldiers coming from various units of the Czech Armed Forces. The Czech Republic has deployed its capabilities on the NATO Baltic Air-policing mission for the first time.
1st Lt. Agnė Balčiauskytė, Assistant Head of Aviation Base
Pictures of the author.
