October 25-29, the fifth rotation of the National Support Element (NSE-5) participated in a pre-deployment training event at Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre (Nemenčinė) before mission in Afghanistan.
Troops readying to implement logistic support function from the beginning of the following year in ISAF mission in Afghanistan entered active phase of training with the exercise.
The drills were conducted by NSE-3 members who also shared their experience from participation in the multinational mission, answered to questions about the service routine and implementation of direct tasks.
According to the organisers of the exercise, such events also serve as psychological training of soldiers before deployment: they feel more comfortable when receiving first-hand information about service and living conditions in Afghanistan from their counterparts. But then, as organisers of the exercise underlined, every NSE rotation face new challenges in every mission and bring home new experience.
The purpose of the National Support Element is providing logistic support for military units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces deployed in Afghanistan, and troops delegated to ISAF staffs. At the moment two Ukrainians and two US troops are deployed with the 25-person strong National Support Element together with Lithuanians.
Article and pictures by 1st Lt Rūta Gaižutytė, Logistics Command
