November 1-5, the 13th shift of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team underwent a session on the Joint Conflict and Tactical Simulation System (JCATS) tailored to simulate the spectrum of mission-specific tasks at Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre (Nemenčinė) as part of pre-mission training.
The four-day exercise was one of the first stages of pre-mission training that PRT-13 underwent. During the event work of staff and units command groups was trained skills of operational planning, staff division-level cooperation and information exchange, and transmission to subunits. Participants also underwent training of responding to security situations, preparing and sending reports to higher commands, and conducting other tasks.
In the training session with the help of JCATS troops carried out tasks of unit movement in the mission area, medical evacuation, demonstrations of locals, denotation of IEDs on roads, firing at the base, cooperation with governmental and nongovernmental organisations, meetings with representatives of local government, and other.
PRT-13 based on King Mindaugas Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Panevėžys Distr.) will take over the mission in Ghor province from PRT-12 in May 2011. Chaghcharan Provincial Reconstruction Team in the mission area will be led by Commander of Mindaugas Battalion Maj. Nerijus Stankevičius.
A considerable part of the 13th rotation have already been deployed to multinational missions in the Balkan Region, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
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.
PRT-12 currently providing security in Ghor is formed on the basis of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion. Representatives of Denmark, Georgia, Japan, USA, Romania and Ukraine serve together with around 150 Lithuanian military and civilian personnel in Ghor PRT.
PIO for PRT-13 1st Lt Paulius Babilas.
