On September 8-9 representatives of US Army Europe Command visited Lithuania and discussed conditions and programs of joint pre-mission training of US and Lithuanian troops with representatives of the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
US representatives paid a visit to Pabradė Military Area of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and toured Gen Adolfas Ramanauskas Warfare Training Centre in Nemenčinė - locations of the pre-mission training.
Twelve soldiers of the Pennsylvania National Guard are expected to arrive in Lithuania by mid-October and then start a collective three-week training course with eight Lithuanians before deployment to Afghanistan. Lithuanian and US personnel will form a new unit - Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (POMLT), which will provide training for local police of Ghor.
„Military areas and training base where Lithuanian and US troops will undergo training jointly are well equipped with relevant facilities to provide training for military personnel. We believe that POMLT project will be successful and continue enhancing cooperation between Lithuania and USA as the Lithuanian Armed Forces prepares for training course for POMLT project with great responsibility," said Maj Eric Boyar (US Forces in Europe Command).
POMLT will enter operation in Ghor in November together with the incoming PRT rotation. Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Team will be commanded by a Lithuanian officer.
As Lithuania intensifies support to Afghan national security forces in its responsibility area, Ghor province, where the majority of such force is local police, Police Operational and Mentoring Team will be established to provide training for local officers. Involvement of the Pennsylvania National Guard into the Lithuanian-led project will extend a long and successful cooperation between Lithuania and USA in Ghor.
Picture from MoND - troops of the Lithuanian-led Chaghcharan PRT and Ghor police officers.