The JEME arrives to Latvia to accompany the Spanish soldiers

The JEME atended to a static exhibition (Photo:Iván Jiménez / DECET)

They performed a tribute to the fallen (Photo:Iván Jiménez / DECET)

The Spanish Leopards during the exercises (Photo:Iván Jiménez / DECET)

The Chief of General Staff of the Spanish Army (JEME in Spanish), general Francisco J. Varela Salas, has travelled to Riga to accompany during two days the 300 deployed soldiers of the Spanish Army at Adazi base, situated at 15 km from the Latvian capital.

The national contingent makes up with soldiers from Albania, Canada, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia the Battle Group in Latvia inside the mission of the NATO called "enhanced Forward Presence", whose aims are the deterrence and protection of the Eastern flank towards possible threats.
 

A honor squad welcome yesterday the JEME at Adazi base before participating in a tribute to the fallen; he put a candle during this tribute on the Monolith, accompanied by the Latvian chief of the base, colonel Ilmars A. Lejins. After receiving an exhibition of the current situation of the base and of the Battle Group by the Latvian colonel and the chief of the contingent, the Canadian Lieutenant Colonel Sean French, respectively, he attended the static exhibition of vehicles, armament and materials that the different contingents have in the base. The main course was an exercise in which there was a performance with real fire by the battle tanks "Leopardo" and the infantry tanks "Pizarro", including the lauch of a missile "Spike" with platform of VAMTAC and the opening of a supposed minefield with pole, by the engineers, at the field of maneouvres annexed to the base.

Finally, before leaving the base, he attended to a presentation of the Spanish contingent by its chief, lieutenant colonel David Tarifa.

This morning, at first hour, the visit has continued. In this case, with a brief exposition about the facilities of the base and a later route around the place, specially through the facilities which are taken up and developed day by day by the Spanish contingent. The JEME did not lose the opportunity of taking a photo accompanied by the 330 soldiers of the Army apart from drinking a coffee and addressing them with proud and grateful messages for their performed commitments. "You are working in a multinational environment and it is an enriching experience. The image that you are trasmitting to the Latvian society is very positive, the same that the Atlantic Alliance has. Continue in this line, conducting naturally the labors, you are representing Spain in this mission and you are doing great"

Finally, before leaving the base and coming back to Spain, he signed the honour book of the unit.