{"id":413013,"date":"2025-04-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=413013"},"modified":"2025-04-15T03:32:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T03:32:02","slug":"museum-opens-exhibit-commemorating-u-s-and-latvian-military-partnership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=413013","title":{"rendered":"Museum Opens Exhibit Commemorating U.S. and Latvian Military Partnership"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n U.S. service members and other attendees explore the new exhibit titled \u201cMessage Follows\u201d following its opening at the Latvian War Museum in Riga, Latvia, April 11, 2025. The exhibit showcases video interviews, uniforms, equipment, and personal belongings of U.S. Army soldiers who served alongside Latvian troops during the War in Afghanistan. The U.S.-Latvia military partnership, which began in 1993, continues today with the presence of V Corps, the U.S. Army\u2019s only forward-deployed corps in Europe. The enduring presence of V Corps enables continuity and readiness in an ever-evolving environment while supporting the NATO mission.
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\n U.S. and Latvian service members listen as speakers address the audience during the opening of a new exhibit commemorating 32 years of U.S.-Latvian military partnership at the Latvian War Museum in Riga, Latvia, April 11, 2025. The exhibit, titled \u201cMessage Follows,\u201d features video interviews, uniforms and equipment, and personal belongings of U.S. Army soldiers who served alongside Latvian troops during the War in Afghanistan. The U.S.-Latvia military partnership continues today with the presence of V Corps, the U.S. Army\u2019s only forward-deployed corps in Europe. V Corps continues to enhance its posture across the European theater through modernization efforts to defend NATO and its territorial integrity.
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RIGA, Latvia \u2014 U.S. and Latvian service members, diplomats and other guests gathered last week at the Latvian War Museum\u2019s opening of a new exhibit commemorating the 32-year history of the U.S.-Latvia military partnership.<\/p>\n

\u201cMessage Follows,\u201d which opened April 11, highlights the beginning and renewal of U.S.-Latvian cooperation, U.S. support for developing the Latvian National Armed Forces, and the long-standing partnership between the Michigan National Guard and the Latvian National Guard. The exhibit features video interviews, uniforms, equipment, and personal belongings of U.S. Army active component and Michigan National Guard Soldiers who have served with Latvian soldiers during the Afghanistan War. This exhibit tells the story of their shared history while also highlighting the enduring strength of the U.S.-Latvia security partnership.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe exhibition \u2018Message Follows\u2019 marks our 30-year plus partnership with the Latvian National Armed Forces. It is really a testament to the close partnership that we\u2019ve had and that we continue to enjoy here with our Latvian allies. It showcases their contributions to U.S. operations in the past, and then vice versa,\u201d said Lt. Col. Ross Kastner, chief of the U.S. Office of Defense Cooperation in Latvia.<\/p>\n

The U.S.-Latvia military partnership began in 1993 when Latvian defense forces signed a formal partnership with the Michigan National Guard through the Department of Defense National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP). The SPP links National Guard units in states with the national military organization of a partner or ally nation in a cooperative, mutually beneficial relationship. The Michigan-Latvia cooperation was one of the pioneers of the SPP, which has now expanded to 105 partnerships with 115 nations. The SPP has helped in the development of the Latvian National Guard, medical and engineer cooperation, the establishment of Latvia\u2019s Joint Terminal Attack Controller program, multiple combined deployments to Afghanistan, and the certification of Lielv\u0101rde Airfield as a fully functioning base for NATO air power.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis exhibition not only invites us to reflect on what has been accomplished but also encourages us to look forward to the future,\u201d said Kristine Skrivere, director of the Latvian War Museum. \u201cIts title, \u2018Message Follows,\u2019 is a phrase used in modern communication to indicate that information is still in progress, and that we must remain connected, exchanging clear and understandable messages. The title also carries a symbolic meaning, a reminder that our shared story continues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since 2016, the United States and Latvia have participated in the U.S.-Baltic Dialogue to broaden and deepen the U.S. range of security cooperation activities and address Baltic-wide security gaps. The U.S. has assisted in enhancing Latvia\u2019s territorial defense capabilities, including electronic and hybrid warfare, border security, and maritime and air domain awareness. This cooperation promotes interoperability with the United States and NATO and helps Latvia support its security commitments abroad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe United States is firmly committed to NATO and to European security\u2014keeping Americans safe means keeping NATO strong. That commitment is not abstract\u2014it is real and it is visible right here in Latvia, where our forces train together, operate together, and stand ready together to deter and defend,\u201d said Christopher Robinson, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Latvia.<\/p>\n

U.S. and European cooperation remains focused on addressing global challenges, supporting economic development and reinforcing diplomatic ties. The transatlantic relationship is a resilient and adaptable partnership that is central to promoting international stability and collective security.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis exhibition reminds us that passionate partnership also has its own language. The cooperation between Latvian and U.S. armed forces is a living example of that, built on shared values, common missions and constant readiness,\u201d said Maj. Gen. Kaspars Pudans of Latvian National Armed Forces. \u201cOur cooperation is needed [and] is framed by decades of trust, joint exercises, training of our soldiers, our operational deployments and also personal bonds, making this partnership not only effective, but also very deeply meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.nationalguard.mil<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TheNationalGuard<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/x.com\/USNationalGuard<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nationalguard.mil\/Leadership\/Joint-Staff\/J-5\/International-Affairs-Division\/State-Partnership-Program\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1 \/ 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption \u2013 U.S. service members and other attendees explore the new exhibit titled \u201cMessage Follows\u201d following its opening at the Latvian War Museum in Riga, Latvia, April 11, 2025. The exhibit showcases video interviews, uniforms, equipment, and personal belongings of U.S. Army soldiers who served alongside Latvian troops […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":413015,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-413013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=413013"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":413018,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413013\/revisions\/413018"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/413015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=413013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=413013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=413013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}