Amber Hope 2011

A delegation from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) was visiting Exercise Amber Hope at the Pabradė training area.

PABRADĖ, June 20, 2011· - Observers from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Ukraine came to observe Exercise Amber Hope from June 15 to 22 at the Pabradė Training Area.

The second phase of the multinational exercise Amber Hope 2011 (AH11) has started on June 19. During this phase, Amber Hope Exercise Staff and all of the training elements will conduct exercises in accordance with an established scenario based on experiences gained by Lithuanian and other international partners in multinational operations. The fictitious crisis response operations will be executed at both the Pabradės Training Area and the Baltic Sea. This second and final phase will conclude on June 23.

A sports day was arranged at the multinational Exercise Amber Hope 2011 at the Pabradės Training Area on June 18. Lithuanian and international military personnel competed in military obstacle courses and tug-of-war relay, mini football matches and street basketball. The sports day at the Pabradės Training Area was visited by one of the most famous Lithuanian basketball players, Linas Kleiza, and Žydrūnas Savickas, who is considered to be the world's strongest man.

PABRADĖ, June 17, 2011 - Medics of Exercise Amber Hope are taking the medical training received since June 14 out of the classroom and into the field at the Pabradė Training Area.

Maj Gen Arvydas Pocius, Lithuanian Chief of Defence, visited the Pabradės Training Area on June 16 and spoke with participants of multinational exercise Amber Hope 2011 regarding their training activities, difficulties and achievements.

On June 14, 9.00 a.m., warships of the Lithuanian Naval Force, including (LNF) M53 "Skalvis," M54 "Kuršis" and P14 "Aukštaitis" conducted a coordinated cast off at the Naval Flotilla and departed for sea in support of Amber Hope 2011. Other vessels involved in the Exercise will join them shortly, in accordance with the Exercise scenario.

PABRADĖ-The Pennsylvania National Guard will be instructing the Lithuanian medical team on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) from June 14 to 17 as part of the Exercise Amber Hope 2011 exercise at the Pabradė training area.

The official opening ceremonies at the Pabradės Training Area and the Naval Flotilla in Klaipėda, which took place on June 13, were followed by the first phase of the largest multinational Exercise in Lithuania this year - Amber Hope 2011. The first phase of the Exercise will last until June 19 and its goal is to train the Exercise units and staff for the second phase when manoeuvring units will train according to an established scenario unknown to most participants. The Exercise Staff will conduct coordination, observation, control and evaluation of the executed operations.

June 13 marked the official opening ceremonies for Amber Hope 2011, the largest multinational military exercise held in Lithuania this year. The ceremonies were held in Klaipėda, Naval Flotilla, and Pabradės Training Area - the latter accommodating the greater number of exercise participants. Lithuanian Minister of Defence, Rasa Juknevičienė, Chief of Defence for Lithuania, Maj Gen Arvydas Pocius, Ordinary Bishop of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Gintaras Grušas, Chairman of the Lithuanian Red Cross Society, Romualdas Konstantinas Dobrovolskis, component chiefs of the Lithuanian armed forces, military representatives of foreign states, and other honourable guests attended the opening event in Pabradė.