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Rear Admiral G.A.Zeibots meeting soldiers from the 1st Infantry Battalion in July 2003 THE MISSION OF THE NAF IS TO: • Provide for the inviolability of all national territory, its waters and air space; • Participate in international operations; • Participate in national threat elimination; • Provide for the training of personnel and military reserves. Th e mission of the National Armed Forces Aft er joining NATO, the foundation of the in training our soldiers, procuring modern to deal with the identifi cation and clearance of (NAF) is to guarantee the sovereignty and Latvian defence system will shift from total equipment and developing modern technology. nuclear pollution. Th e successful participation territorial integrity of the nation and to defend territorial defence to collective defence. Th us, NAF soldiers have participated in of our soldiers in international exercises, its population against aggression. In order to along with providing for national defence, the international operations since 1996. Specialised operations and missions demonstrates that implement these tasks, the NAF provide for the NAF will also have to react immediately to units (e.g. units of military medics, military their professional skills already comply with the defence of the nation, its air space and national threats to other allies and to international crises. police, unexploded ordnance neutralisers, performance requirements set by the Alliance. territorial waters, participate in large scale crisis- It is already clear that Latvia will require small military divers and special forces) have been response operations, perform emergency rescue but highly professional troops that have been established in order to facilitate and enhance our operations, and participate in international fully integrated into NATO structures. Th at is participation in international operations. Special Th e Commander of the National Armed peacekeeping operations. why we are investing our fi nancial resources attention has been paid to establishing a unit Forces, Rear Admiral Gaidis Andrejs Zeibots The NAF Headquarters Th e NAF Headquarters is the institution responsible for assisting the NAF Commander in carrying out continuous command and control functions. Th e mission of the NAF Headquarters is to prepare the information, documents and proposals required for making decisions on defence policy and to control the implementation of the orders and directives passed by the NAF Commander. Th e NAF Headquarters produces the NAF development plans, concepts, and directives and defi nes the main activities necessary for ensuring the development of the armed forces. NAF Headquarters Management at a meeting in August 2003 Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Battalion during exercises in August 2003 The NAF Staff Battalion has also welcomed several delegations to its base. Th e NAF Orchestra is a part of the Staff THE MISSION OF THE STAFF BATTALION IS TO: Th e NAF Staff Battalion was established in Battalion. Th e Orchestra’s musicians participate • Provide the Honour Guard at the 1992 in order to re-establish the national and in offi cial ceremonies as demanded by national Freedom Monument and the Riga Palace; military traditions and rituals of the Republic of protocol, various events organised by the • Participate in military ceremonies and Latvia. Th e Battalion is a separate unit directly Minister of Defence and the NAF Commander, rituals; subordinate to the NAF Commander. as well as other top military ceremonies. • Guard the Ministry of Defence and NAF Th ough one of the main tasks of the NAF Several foreign conductors have contributed installations located within the Riga Staff Battalion is to participate in military to the professional growth of the orchestra garrison. ceremonies and rituals, it also provides other with concerts prepared and conducted by knowledge and skills required by soldiers. Th e bandmasters from diff erent countries. Th e A changing of the Honour Guard at the Riga Palace in Battalion has established good co-operation NAF Staff Orchestra has participated in several June 2003 with various schools and has organised diverse international military brass band festivals in The NAF Staff Orchestra at the XXIII Latvian Song military sports activities off -site. Th e Battalion Europe with great success. Festival in July 2003 The Land Forces Th e Land Forces form the regular contingent of the National Armed Forces and provide for the defence of all national territories. Th e development of the Land Forces is directed towards improving their combat and professional capabilities. One of the main tasks of their development is to specialise in particular fi elds, e.g. the Land Forces will take over responsibility for the neutralisation of unexploded ordnance from the National Guard in the nearest future. Th erefore, much attention is being paid to preparing the respective experts. By the end of 2004, the Land Forces must prepare a professional infantry unit for participation in NATO-led operations. Th e Latvian Armed Forces have been participating in peacekeeping operations abroad since 1996. Currently, NAF soldiers are deployed on six international peacekeeping missions – in Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Bosnia. The Land Forces 1st Infantry Battalion THE MISSION OF THE LAND FORCES IS TO: • Provide for the defence of all national territories; • Ensure combat readiness and the mobilisation of units; • Exterminate explosives; • Provide public assistance. The National Guard forces, which can be deployed immediately on international military operations. Th e National Guard was established in August Th e youth organisation of the National 1991 as a voluntary public military self-defence Guard, the “Jaunsardze” (Youth National Guard), organisation. It is the largest NAF structure in was established in 1992. It is the largest youth terms of numbers. Its goal is to involve Latvian movement in Latvia, bringing together young citizens in the defence of the nation and its people from the age of 12 to 18. people. Th e National Guard has always played (at the top) The National Guard’s open competition in an essential role in the national defence system archery in June 2003. by allowing the public to be involved in national defence. Th e National Guard has established The Young National Guards at their summer camp in close co-operation with similar organisations Skulte in August 2003 abroad – the US Michigan National Guard, THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL the UK Territorial Army, and the Home Guard GUARD IS TO: Organisations of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, • Involve Latvian citizens in providing for Lithuania and Estonia. national defence and public law and Th e development goals of the National order; Guard are to increase the combat capabilities • Ensure the combat and mobilisation readiness of its own units; of National Guard units and to improve the • Provide legal and military training for organisation of the service and the quality of its National Guard soldiers; training. A number of National Guard battalions • Provide national juridical order. will be transformed into high-readiness reserve The Special Tasks Unit THE MISSION OF THE SPECIAL TASKS UNIT IS TO: Th e Special Tasks Unit (STU) was established • Perform special operations for national in September 1991. It is specially trained to defence and security interests; • Participate in anti-terrorist operations; perform highly dangerous tasks. • Perform search and rescue operations on Th e STU co-operates with Latvian security land and sea. institutions in fi ghting crime. Th e unit is prepared to perform anti-terrorist and security operations during offi cial visits by foreign offi cials. It (on the right) Soldiers from the Special Tasks participates in search and rescue operations in Unit at the NAF Information Day in Jelgava in collaboration with the Naval and Air Forces and April 2003 it trains soldiers from other NAF units. Soldiers from the Special Tasks Unit Th e Special Tasks Unit consists of specially demonstrating their abilities in Aluksne in trained professional soldiers who are specialised August 2003 in certain areas, e.g. parachutists, divers, climbers, snipers or dog handlers. Th e soldiers of the Special Tasks Unit are continuously trained to enhance their professional preparedness and are equipped with the most modern armour and equipment in order to carry out their tasks effi ciently. The Military Police for NAF subdivisions. One of their priorities is to establish an MP Th e Military Police (MP) provide military unit for participation in NATO-led international discipline and legal order. Th ey were established operations. MP soldiers have participated in the in 1997. Th e MP are responsible for public peacekeeping mission in Kosovo since 1999. In law and order during NAF events, as well as addition, the fi rst MP unit was deployed in Iraq for guarding and patrolling. Th e MP organise in 2003. MP soldiers are always well-prepared for activities to maintain military discipline, they their work on these missions, thus their input is give lectures to soldiers and organise seminars always highly appreciated. Military Police providing an escort in July 2003 (on the left) Soldiers from the Military Police THE MISSION OF THE MILITARY POLICE IS TO: • Assist in the provision of security during military events and provide military discipline, law and order; • Guard objects as ordered by the NAF Commander; • Control military traffic, escort officials and guard military cargo. The Naval Forces various exercises with great success. Latvian Naval Forces during the International Mine- THE MISSION OF THE NAVAL Sweeping and Extermination Operation MCOPLAT Th e main development priorities of the NF FORCES IS TO: 2003 in the Bay of Riga in May 2003 Th e fi rst units of the Naval Forces (NF) were are to expand their activities within the Baltic • Guard the national sea border and established in 1991. Today, the NF are fully States’ Ship Squadron BALTRON and to develop defend national sea and inland waters operational and successfully perform all the tasks a Sea Surveillance System.

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