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President Ilves at Estonian’s largest-ever mobilisation exercise Siil/Steadfast Javelin: I saw the strength, power and skills of Estonia
09.05.2015
"Siil/Steadfast Javelin, the largest mobilisation exercise ever undertaken by the Estonian Defence Forces, shows how every quill counts. This demonstrates Estonia's efficient defence, which relies on the skills and will to defend of the reservists and Defence League members, the good training of conscripts and the professionalism of the active servicemen," said the President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who today visited the units that were deployed in the exercise in Lääne and Ida-Virumaa.
The President of the Republic, who is the highest commander of national defence, met with Estonian units and staff officers and with our allies: members of a Belgian air defence unit and a tank unit of the United States of America.
"I would like to thank all the reservists who attended the exercise and their employers who will ensure that the participants of Siil/Steadfast Javelin will not be docked wages. I also thank all the locals who allowed the exercise to take part on their land for their assistance and understanding," said the Head of State.
"I saw strength, power and skills; I saw our professional defence force members and their smooth co-operation with our allies – I saw a well-protected Estonia," President Ilves emphasised.
Siil/Steadfast Javelin kicked off in locations all over Estonia this week and runs from 4 to 15 May, culminating in Virumaa. This is to date the largest mobilisation exercise of the Estonian Defence Forces. Siil/Steadfast Javelin takes place instead of the annual Spring Storm and involves over 7,000 reserve force members and 13,000 reservists, conscripts, active servicemen and Allied troops. Reservists play the most important role in making the exercise a success, as they contribute more than half of the participating troops. In total, Siil/Steadfast Javelin brought more than 60 reservists from 12 foreign countries to Estonia, the largest number of whom arrived from Finland and Sweden.
Office of the President
Public Relations Department
