Holiday Greetings from the Op REASSURANCE National Support Element

By Lieutenant-Colonel Kent Judiesch | December 17, 2020 | International

Aerial view of large group of soldiers holding multiple country flags, ten military vehicles arranged behind

The enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Latvia is composed of the National Support Element, the Battle Group and the Signal Squadron representing 1,596 military members and a civilian deployed from a total of 10 NATO Allies working with the Latvian Forces. All members deployed on Camp Adazi are isolated together as a big family in a COVID-free bubble, therefore the wearing of masks is not required between members of the eFP. (Photo credit: eFP BG Latvia, Canadian Armed Forces)

As we close in on not only the last weeks of our rotation that started out last July, but also the holiday season, I’d like to take the opportunity to send you this short article on behalf of all of the members of the National Support Element (NSE) here in Camp Adazi, Latvia.

The weather here is cool, and the days are of course very short, but everyone is holding up well. Most folks would probably prefer a beach somewhere, but at least it’s not as cold and snowy as Petawawa! The dark makes everything a bit more difficult, but the work of sustaining all of the Canadians and the other sending nations on Camp ensures that we stay focused on our essential tasks. No matter the weather or the season, we continue to provide health services, camp engineering, supply, transportation, food services, contracting, morale & welfare, military policing, ammunition services, and of course postal to all of our dependencies including those in Riga.

At this moment in time we have a few major projects that are of particular focus: preparing to receive the next NSE, our close friends from Petawawa, and celebrating the holiday season the best we can far from our families and isolated here on Camp Adazi.

Everyone here certainly misses family and loved-ones back home, especially the comfort that comes from being with those we feel closest to. We miss the embraces of our spouses, children, pets, and friends. We miss home-cooked meals and warm kitchens and the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of home. That said, even in a COVID-free bubble on Camp we will do what we can to enjoy the holiday season the best that we can.

Two male soldiers wearing camo and berets standing with hands behind backs

Lieutenant-Colonel Kent Judiesch, Commanding-Officer of the National Support Element, and Chief Warrant Officer Jimmy Côté want to wish Happy Holidays from Operation REASSURANCE, Latvia, December 2020. (Photo Credit: eFP BG Latvia, Canadian Armed Forces)

Small-scale activities are planned for the entire month of December and include no-contact prize draws, board-game nights, online hockey and soccer tournaments, and paint nights, all activities that are participated in with our friends from the other sending nations.

For the NSE, the culminating event will be the Ortona Dinner which will happen on the 25th of December. It will allow us to enjoy a meal together the best we can while separated from all of you and reflect on the soldiers who celebrated the same meal in Italy 77 years ago when they too were separated from their families on their great mission.

As if to remind us of the fact that our tour in Latvia is almost over, the NSE is assisting all of the other nations with their rotation plans as well. We have begun with our close friends the Slovakians and will also soon be seeing the Italians, Spanish, Albanians, Montenegrins, Czechs, and Slovenians rotate out before us. Only the Polish contingent is after Canada, and the lone Icelander who only just arrived, will still have a few months to go.

Needless to say, at the end of it all, the members of the NSE will have built lasting personal and professional relationships with folks from all over the NATO community, friendships that no doubt make us better and stronger allies for the future.

In closing I would just like to send our best wishes and on behalf of the entire NSE, happy holidays and here’s to seeing you soon in the new year!