eFP Battle Group Latvia welcomes a new Commander

CAMP ĀDAŽI, Latvia - A change of command ceremony was held at Camp Ādaži, Latvia for enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup Latvia on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.

Lieutenant Colonel Philippe Sauvé assumed command of the Canadian-led Battlegroup from Lieutenant Colonel Steve MacBeth.

Lieutenant Colonel MacBeth, who assumed command in July 2018, led the eFP Battlegroup throughout its third rotation. "I am extremely proud of the work that has been done over the past six months. We have improved our interoperability as a Battlegroup and strengthened our partnership with the Latvian National Armed Forces through a rigorous training cycle," said MacBeth.

In addition to all the exercises, the Albanian Explosive Ordinance Disposal Platoon uncovered over 1,000 pieces of unexploded ordinance throughout the course of the rotation. Additionally, Battlegroup engineers from Spain conducted 150 Military Load Classification bridge inspections throughout Latvia, sharing the data with Latvia's Ministry of Transportation.

The Battlegroup also grew by one nation in December with the addition of Montenegro which contributes a section of reconnaissance soldiers.

"As the new Commanding Officer, I look forward to leading this professional Battlegroup over the next six months," said Lieutenant Colonel Sauvé. "We are prepared for success thanks to the hard work done by the past rotations and we look to build on those successes as we forge ahead."

The eFP Battlegroup in Latvia is made up of military personnel from Albania, Canada, Czech Republic, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. The Battlegroup is integrated with the Latvian Mechanized Brigade Group and works hand-in-hand to deter, and if necessary, defend the people of Latvia from any potential aggression.

Story by eFP Battlegroup Latvia Public Affairs Office

There's a new Commander at NATO's enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia.

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