Soldiers of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces took part in the largest international exercise for special operations forces „Jackal Stone 09" hosted by Croatia from September 10 to 29.
More than 1 thousand of special operations forces personnel gathered to the exercise from 7 NATO members: Lithuania, Albania, the US, Poland, Croatia, Romania, and Hungary, and three partner states - Macedonia, Sweden, and Ukraine.
The exercise is organised by the Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) in a different NATO state on an annual basis, the tradition began with the „Shamrock Key 06" exercise for special operations forces that was held in Lithuania in 2006. Numbers of states and soldiers participating in the exercise grow each year.
The main goal of the exercise is concerting and improving special operations forces' routine actions and sharing experience through joint training. Commander SOCEUR Maj. Gen. Frank Kisner stressed that the exercise had been tailored to improve joint actions of soldiers by fulfilling tasks of special operations forces. Cooperation of special operations forces at international level is crucial in pursuing NATO's purpose - concerted actions of special operations forces of NATO member states in any part of the world in case a necessity arises.
Information and pictures of the LAF Special Operations Forces.