With the Joint Expeditionary Force in Latvia

Having been involved with the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) virtually from its foundation in 2014, I've enjoyed continuing the link in my 'retirement', supporting its major exercises as an Associate with MASS. The company helps to deliver the exercise and it's a privilege to be able to pass on some of my experience as part of a professional team that is welcoming and supportive. This year, the JEF exercise, Joint Protector 24, was held in Liepaja, Latvia. As the JEF's own press release described it, the exercise aimed to test "the JEF’s ability to act early and respond quickly ahead of a crisis, using a near-real scenario which sees the HQ planning, organising, and delivering several concurrent JEF Response Options (JROs); activities that the JEF can deliver as a means to support NATO’s warfighting capabilities or de-escalate a situation before conflict breaks out."

For those not familiar with the JEF, it comprises ten like-minded countries - the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden - who work together but in a way that is complementary to and coherent with NATO. The UK provides the 2 Star Standing Joint Force Headquarters (SJFHQ) as the permanent JEF operational HQ, which is joint, international and inter-agency. The exercise gave the HQ the opportunity not just to deploy, but to work closely together and rehearse plans with the Participant Nations.

Aside from the exercise, it gave me an opportunity to learn more about the Baltic region and Latvia's history, of which I confess to have been woefully ignorant beforehand. Hence the photo above of the annual 'Torch Walk' on 11 November, commemorating Lā?plēsis Day. This is a memorial day for soldiers who fought for the independence of Latvia and marks the victory by the Latvian Army over the joint Russian-German West Russian Volunteer Army at the 1919 Battle of Riga, ensuring Latvia's independence. It's also a reminder that Latvia remains grateful for the help the Royal Navy gave it during its independence war in 1918-19. The UK was also one of the first countries to recognise Latvia internationally in 1921. As they say 'every day is a school day'!

#JEFTogether, #JP24, #MASS