September 6-10, evaluation exercise „PRT-12 Challenge" takes place at LAF Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre in Nemenčinė (Vilnius Distr.) During the evaluation event military personnel of the 12th shift of Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT-12) train to respond to various situations in the mission region.
A week-long exercise is the final phase of training for mission in Afghanistan meant to conclude by evaluation a three-month long preparation of PRT-12. Work of staff of a new rotation is evaluated: planning of operations, collaboration among staff divisions and transmission of information to subunits, response to emergencies, decision-making, writing and sending reports to superior commands, troops' abilities to communicate with local citizens, and completion of other tasks.
Training at the Warfare Training Centre is conducted with the Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation System (JCATS). It simulates various tasks corresponding to the actual situation in the missions.
The exercise is organised by command of the Lithuanian Land Force. Conductor of the exercise and evaluators' group is the chief of staff of MIB „Iron Wolf" Lt Col Alvydas Šiuparis.
The majority of organisers, observers, and evaluators of the exercise have previously taken part in the Lithuania's mission in Afghanistan and therefore have experience and skills necessary to draw exercise tasks to as close to real conditions in the operation theatre in Afghanistan as possible.
„According to my estimation, troops have reached relevant readiness level, however, final conclusions will be announced when the exercise is over. Soldiers of Algirdas Battalion conducted duty in the land component of NATO Response Force (NRF) this year. So they have collaboration experience, are capable of providing concerted actions, adequate and professional estimation of situation, and decision making. Exercise „PRT-12 Challenge" is a part of continuous training. Preconditions of this exercise will be implemented in real filed exercise by the end of this October", said leading officer of the exercise and evaluation group Lt Col A. Šiuparis.
According to Commander PRT-12 Lt Col Remigijus Baltrėnas, it is very important that commanders of all level units would be well prepared to implement various tasks, face possible challenges, and emergencies that may occur in the operation region.
„Purpose of this exercise is to enhance procedures of division command, evaluate skills of staff personnel to be deployed to the mission, share experience gained, and to spot actions that still need improvement. Setting of the exercise close to that of the mission in Afghanistan allows staff and units of PRT to get the feeling of the operation's complexity", said Lt Col R. Baltrėnas, Commander of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
Scenario of the exercise simulates movement of units in the terrain, evacuation of the injured, demonstrations of local inhabitants, blasts of explosive devices on the roads, collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organisations, meetings with representatives of local administrations, and other tasks with the help of Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation (JCATS).
In the second half of September PRT-12 military personnel will move to a military area near Kazlų Rūda (Marijampolės Distr.) to take part in the final pre-mission training field exercise. The exercise will be located in a real terrain - training field - and include all the situations - movement of units, communication with locals, evacuation of the injured, etc. - similar to those typically implemented in the ISAF mission.
PRT-12 is formed on the basis of the Lithuania Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion of MIB „Iron Wolf". This shift of PRT will be ready for deployment on a half-year mission in Afghanistan, Ghor province, in November.
Algirdas Battalion provides personnel for the mission for a second time. It flew its combat flag in the PRT's camp in Ghor in 2006.
The Lithuanian-led PRT in Ghor is a joint civilian-military mission, a part of NATO's ISAF, that was launched in Ghor in summer of 2005. The main task of the mission is to help Government of Afghanistan to extend authority in the province, ensure security and create environment for provincial reconstruction.
At the moment the 11th rotation of the Lithuanian-led PRT serve in Afghanistan, the shift is based on the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion located in Tauragės Distr. Kęstutis Battalion provides personnel for the PRT mission for a second time. The majority of personnel in the shift have been deployed to multinational missions in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan previously.
Representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Poland, Finland and Ukraine serve together with Lithuanian military and civilian personnel in Ghor PRT camp in Chaghcharan.
PR Officer of „PRT-12 Challenge" 1st Lt. Skomantas Povilionis, phone 00370 5 278 5180
Pictures by Cpl Vilius Džiavečka