Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas underscored the important role of the Joint Staff in the Lithuanian Armed Forces at the change of command ceremony and wished luck to the new Chief in completing long-term projects of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and starting new ones, and resourcefulness in leading the Joint Staff and operational forces of Lithuania in the turbulent international environment of nowadays.
Incoming Chief of the Joint Staff Major General V. Vaikšnoras underscored the importance of the Joint Staff as one of the key parts of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and invited all units of the Lithuanian Armed Forces to further enhance combat readiness and so step the security of Lithuania.
The change of command ceremony at the Joint Staff HQ was attended by Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas, Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence Artūras Paulauskas, Commander NATO Force Integration Unit Lithuania Colonel Jakob Sogard Larsen, commanders of services of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, representatives of authorities of the ministry of the Interior, foreign countries’ defence attachés based in Lithuania, and other guests.
Prior to the current assignment Maj Gen V. Vaikšnoras was the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College (Estonia, Tartu) for three years. Before that he worked as advisor at the Ministry of National Defence, as Military Representative of Lithuania to NATO and the European Union, and the Dean of the NATO Military Committee. Gen Maj V. Vaikšnoras also led the Defence Staff of the Ministry of National Defence, served as deputy commander-chief of staff of the then Motorised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf, and other positions of command.
Maj Gen V. Vaikšnoras graduated Higher Anti-aircraft Defence Command Staff School of Vilnius, studied at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the NATO Defence College in Rome. General holds the Officer’s Cross of the Order for Merit to Lithuania, different decorations of the National Defence System, and foreign countries.
The Joint Staff which will pass under Maj Gen V.Vaikšnoras’ command is a structural element of the Lithuanian Armed Forces reporting to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania. Its function is to ensure an efficient operational command to the operational forces of the Lithuanian Armed Forces in its responsibility and the implementation of military operations.
The joint Staff provides command and support to military operations in Lithuania and abroad, plans and commands joint training of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and international training. It also provides coordination and control of combat training of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and coordinates participation of Lithuanian military units in military cooperation programmes.
