Col. Howcroft leads lecture for alumni in Lithuania: Lessons to Learn from Stability Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq
May 11, 2007
The Marshall Center’s Col. James Howcroft lectured in Vilnius, Lithuania on 11 May to a mixed group of 40 Lithuanian alumni and other security professionals about “Lessons to Learn from Stability Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.” Attendees included alumni from the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense, Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and Parliament. In addition to Col. Howcroft’s expert commentary about the problems encountered in current stability operations, attendees shared a frank exchange about the difficulties of maintaining an inter-ministerial support structure and encouraging long-term public support for stability operations abroad. The event also served to highlight Lithuania’s significant contribution to NATO’s ISAF mission. Among the commentators was COL Gintautas Zenkevicius, the commander of Lithuania’s first Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan in 2005. Noteworthy non-Lithuanian attendees included Czech Ambassador to Lithuania Alois Buchta (MC alum from SES 2001-2), German Defense Attache to Lithuania LTC Michael Ebersbach, U.S. Defense Attache LTC Joe King and U.S. ODC Chief LTC Darr Reimers. Our thanks to the Lithuanian MND, in particular, Mr. Robertas Sapronas, director of the MND’s International Cooperation Department, as well as Mr. Arnas Veselauskas and the whole team at the U.S. Embassy ODC office for making this uniquely topical and useful event possible.
Ms. Ruta Miseikyte (LPASS 2005-4 of the Lithuanian MND) poses with recent all-star grads Mr. Robertas Naudziunas (LPASS 2007-1 of the Lithuanian MFA) and Mr. Mindaugas Gecys (LPASS 2007-1 of the Lithuanian MND).
Three fine gentlemen: MAJ Mindaugas Kviklys (LPASS 2006-4 of the Lithuanian MND), Mr. Eimantas Paskevicius (PTSS 2006-5 of the Lithuanian MND) and Dr. Romanas Miliauskas (EP 2001-1 of the Lithuanian MFA).
