LATVIA –
"You will find among our people a very strong thirst for freedom,” said Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš, Prime Minister of Latvia, “We were occupied by the Soviet Union for over 50 years. We know tyranny. We know subjugation." He visited Soldiers of the 1-3rd Attack "Viper" Battalion Soldiers at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia, on March 4, 2022.
Visitors also included the Minister of Defense, Artis Pabriks, U.S. Ambassador to Latvia, John L. Carwile, U.S. Army Major General Douglas A. Sims II, commanding general, 1st Infantry Division, and Fort Riley visited the Soldiers of the Viper Battalion.
"Certainly, what they [Russia] didn't think they were doing when they went into Ukraine, was to unite us," said Sims.
The leaders visited with Soldiers and were provided a capability brief on the AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter. Military exercises with our allies and partners remain an integral part of demonstrating our commitment to our NATO allies as a symbol of assurance and providing deterrence against potential adversaries.
"Thanks again,” said Kariņš. " What you are doing here is extremely important. Democracy, freedom of peoples, we have to stick together. Together we're invincible."
The 12 CAB was deployed to support the exercise and validate the U.S. Army Europe and Africa's operational reach along NATO's eastern flank in Lithuania and Latvia. 12 CAB currently remains in the Baltics to defend NATO land.
The 12 CAB is the only enduring aviation brigade present throughout Europe that enables us to deter and defend against threats from any direction.
For more stories, images, and videos on what the 12 CAB is doing, visit their DVIDS page, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/12CAB.