General Raimundas Vaikšnoras

General Raimundas Vaikšnoras was born in Druskininkai on 12 July 1970. He started his military career on 28 February 1991 by being appointed as an intelligence specialist to the Training Unit of the National Defence Department of Lithuania. On 11 March 1991 took the oath of allegiance. During his military service the General followed the path of a soldier, a sergeant and an officer. He began his career from the position of rifleman, then as NCO he was a section and platoon commander, later became an officer. General Raimundas Vaikšnoras graduated from Platoon and Company Commander Course in Denmark, Staff Officer Course in Germany, Lithuania and Sweden, Joint Command and General Staff Officer Course in the Baltic Defence College, Estonia, as well as the Strategic Defence Studies at the United States Army War College.

During his military service in the Lithuanian Armed Forces R. Vaikšnoras served as Platoon and Company Commander of the Motorized Infantry forces, later he was the Commander of two battalions in Rukla and Vilnius, and the Commander of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade “Iron Wolf”. In his military service he also held positions of staff officer and chief officer of combat training, defence planning and operations control. He was once deployed to a mission headquarters in Afghanistan. During his senior staff officer's career, the General was responsible for capability development and operations in the Land Force Headquarters, Joint Staff and Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Service in the Lithuanian Armed Forces

1991 Intelligence Specialist of the Training Unit of the National Defence Department.
1991-03-11 The Oath of Allegiance.
1991 Rifleman and Section Leader, Training Unit, National Defence Department.
1992 Platoon Commander, Vilnius Motorized Infantry Battalion, Field Army Brigade.
1993 Motorized Infantry Company Commander, Vilnius Motorized Infantry Battalion (at present - Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanized Infantry Battalion).
1997 Senior Instructor of Topography, Peace Support Forces Training Centre.
1997 Chief of Staff, Peace Support Forces Training Centre.
1998 Chief Specialist, Military training Branch (S-3), Rukla Training Regiment.
1999 Commander of the 2nd Training Battalion, Training Regiment.
2000 Analysis Senior Specialist, Defence Planning Branch, J-3, Defence Staff, Lithuanian MOD.
2001 Senior Specialist, Defence Planning Branch, J-3, Defence Staff, Lithuanian MOD.
2005 Chief of Operations Control Centre, Field Forces Headquarters, Lithuanian Armed Forces.
2006-2007 Service in the international mission in Afghanistan, Regional Command West, ISAF.
2007 Commander of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Staff Battalion, Lithuanian Armed Forces. 2010 Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Land Force Headquarters, Lithuanian Armed Forces.
2013 Commander of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf", Lithuanian Armed Forces.
2016 Chief of Operations Department J3, Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
2018 Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed
Forces.
2019 Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force.
2022 Assistant Chief of Staff Plans J7 Headquarters Allied Joint Force Command, Brunssum.
2024 Chief of Defence of Lithuania.

Military Ranks

From 1991 - Rifleman, Master Sergeant
1992 Lieutenant (OF-1)
1994 First Lieutenant (OF-1)
1997 Captain (OF-2)
2002 Major (OF-3)
2008 Lieutenant Colonel (OF-4)
2012 Colonel (OF-5)
2018 Brigadier General (OF-6)
2024 General (OF-9)

Education

Master's degree in Strategic Defence Studies at the United States Army War College (2013). Bachelor degree in Public Management at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (2002), Platoon Commander studies at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania (1997).

Courses

1994 Platoon Commander Course - Danish Military School (Denmark).
1995 Company Commander and Junior Staff Officer Course - Danish Military School (Denmark).
2000 NATO Civil Emergency Planning - Civil Protection Department.
2002 NATO Peace Support Operations Course - NATO School (Germany).
2003 Staff Officer Course - NATO School (Germany).
2003 Staff Officer Course - International Joint Task Force Headquarters (Sweden).
2004 Captain Course - General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania.
2005 Joint Command and General Staff Officer Course - the Baltic Defence College (Estonia).
2009 NATO Staff officer orientation Course - NATO School (Germany).
2013 Strategic Defence Studies - United States Army War College.
2016 Cyber Defence at Operation Level Course - NATO Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (Estonia).

Decorations

Commemorative Badge to Mark Russian Troops Withdrawal from Lithuania.
Medal of the Founding Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Mechanized Infantry Brigade "Iron Wolf" Honour Badge "Iron Wolf".
Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal for Distinguished Service.
National Defence System of the Republic of Lithuania Commemorative Medal of Lithuania's Accession to NATO.
National Defence System of the Republic of Lithuania Medal for Deployment on International Missions.
Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal of Merit.
Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal of Merit (with Bronze Pillars).
Divisions of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal for Distinguished Service (National Defence Volunteer Forces).
Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal "100 Years for the Re-established Lithuanian Armed Forces".
Certificates of Commendation by the Command of National Defence System, Personal Gifts from the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Chief of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania, Commander of Lithuanian Land Forces.

Marital status: married, has two daughters and a son.