The Riflemen are not only patriotic young people, but also a real force being trained for the defence of the state. There is growing discussion about their integration into the army and a more extensive role in the country’s security system, Tauras Jurgutis states in TV3.lt. Are we ready for this?
This topic is discussed on the news portal tv3.lt in the program “Dienos pjūvis” by Arvydas Pocius, a member of the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, Darius Antanaitis, a military expert, and Greta Dobilė, a lieutenant in the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
-Preparation and defence can also be carried out in other organisations, such as the Riflemen’s Union, and your committee recently discussed the integration of the Riflemen’s Union into the army. Please briefly summarise what was discussed.
-Pocius: The Seimas held a conference specifically dedicated to addressing issues related to the Riflemen’s Union. As we know, the Riflemen’s Union is a paramilitary organisation that people join voluntarily.
Some members of the Riflemen’s Union who have met the requirements and are prepared to act as combat riflemen are an integral part of the army reserve, which, if necessary, would be incorporated into Lithuanian army units and the National Defence Volunteer Forces. Other individuals would, of course, be assigned to command posts according to their professional profiles.
Riflemen who join the organisation with specific professional knowledge – for example, in medicine, engineering, or construction – can contribute to the defence of the state in ways other than military.
We must understand that the entire nation defends the state, as was the case in 1991. Many men and women stood at the TV tower, at the parliament, and at other critical strategic locations.
We must recognise that we all need to think about this together and that there can be no significant differences in our approach. And in the Riflemen’s Union, we see many young girls, young riflewomen, and there is no difference. They all come to the Riflemen’s Union driven by the same motivation.
The Riflemen’s Union makes a significant contribution to supplementing the military academy with motivated young people. It is nice to see first-year cadets wearing the Riflemen’s badge and uniform, taking pride in being Riflemen.
It is nice that young people are being prepared in the Riflemen’s Union. I want to praise the young, patriotically educated children who choose the Riflemen’s organisation. This summer, there will be many summer camps organised by the Riflemen’s Union.
After these camps, I believe that many children will decide to become soldiers in the future, or perhaps join the professional military service and fulfil their compulsory military service. So, I think that everything is fine with the Riflemen’s Union – they are a great help to the Lithuanian army.
And when illegal migrants were being pushed back from the border with Belarus, both the army and the Riflemen’s Union came to the aid of the border guards. So, I think that the Riflemen’s Union has found its place and, together with the army, I believe that there is, I would say, a kind of integration of society through the Riflemen’s Union closer to the military.
I believe the Riflemen’s Union should be expanded, a topic discussed at the conference. The Riflemen’s Union has the potential to grow and develop, which is the goal. Females who wish to acquire additional skills related to national defence or survival can join the Riflemen’s Union, where they will feel more secure and may even become volunteer soldiers in the National Defence Volunteer Forces.
Well, and finally, high school graduates can enrol in the Military Academy, so there are opportunities. As we have already discussed here, in the future, we will need to consider that females after high school may be called up for initial compulsory military service, just like males.
-You said it is important to expand the Riflemen’s Union. That was a goal for the future. How would you do that specifically? Would you expand the organisation itself, its ranks, or something else?
-Pocius: The number of riflemen, without a doubt. The current territorial structure, based on the principle of territorial distribution, is spread throughout Lithuania’s territory, encompassing both the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Territorial Defence Forces and the Riflemen’s Union. Is that in every district, every town, and even every high school, there could be groups of young riflemen.
And this should be the goal, because the post-war resistance demonstrated that the Riflemen’s Union prepared young, motivated people. Many members of the Riflemen’s Union joined the Lithuanian partisans during the post-war resistance, including women.
As we know, many women were couriers and even fought alongside men. My aunt was killed together with her husband in Samogitia, along with two other partisans, in battle. They did not surrender; they fought and died fighting. These are examples, and I think there are many such examples in Lithuania, because let us remember that women had to endure that period when men went off to fight, and became partisans. Women were given the enormous responsibility of caring for their families. Still, at the same time, they had to do specific jobs, and other women who were more determined chose the life of a soldier or a partisan.
We need to discuss this because society is strong when we all feel a sense of responsibility for our country. So, our nation, our entire united nation, has protected the independence of our country. In the current geopolitical situation; when we see the events unfolding, unity is essential, and we have to prepare for the worst. It is better to be prepared than to be caught unprepared.
-How do you see our society now? Isn’t it too divided to be strong and united enough, like Ukrainian society?
-Antanaitis: Every society has its weak links. To say that one society thinks uniformly would probably be naive—there are differences and there always will be, and that is both the charm and the flaw of democracy.
Therefore, it is unlikely that everyone will be in favour of women being drafted into the army. Of course, a common enemy unites more than a common friend, but again, we have to realise that there will still be discussions, that something will still go wrong, that specific incidents may arise.
To expect that everything will be rosy, sweet, and fluffy is simply unrealistic. This is our life, our society with its diverse opinions and diversity.
-When you joined the army, were there people close to you who tried to dissuade you, and if so, what were their arguments?
-Dobilė: There are always two sides to every story, and I respect both. Those who opposed my joining the army were probably the ones most frightened by our current geopolitical situation.
That was their main argument for trying to dissuade me.
-Dear Darius, as a reserve officer, what would you say to those who, whether men or women, suggest that it may not be worth joining the army because their plans are often put aside during service?
-Antanaitis: We have our lives to the extent that our country is free and safe. It’s the same as when we obey traffic rules on the roads – not everyone does, but most of us do, just as we follow the law.
It’s also a matter of statehood; freedom is the responsibility of all of us. It’s not like I’m sitting here eating borscht by the window while everyone else is defending your home. It’s simply a community and the state as such – it’s a community, and the community is the most significant value.
Whether you want to join the army or not is not the point here. It’s about the safety of your family, the safety of your community, and that’s what you need to think about. You don’t owe anything to anyone, or, more precisely, you owe your community for being part of it, and you have to give something back to it.
Opposition will probably always exist, but there is no need to be afraid. The army is a brief yet enjoyable period, during which you acquire valuable experience and make lasting friendships.
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