POTD: Latvian Honour Guards with M16A1s
NATO recently shared a short video focused on Latvia’s Honour Guards. The video is part of NATO’s #WeAreNATO campaign that showcases units and roles in NATO member militaries, other recent videos have looked at a US combat photographer and a Portuguese jet pilot.
The Latvian Guard of Honour are part of the Latvian Land Forces (Sauszemes Spēki, SzS)’s National Armed Forces Staff Battalion. They are hand picked for their stature and conduct, interestingly the guards are each armed with American M16A1s fitted with M7 bayonets. The Latvian Army and National Guard’s standard service rifle is the HK G36.
Check out the video below:
The Guard of Honour are responsible for guarding the Freedom Monument, which commemorates the those killed in the Latvian War of Independence, in Riga and also Riga Castle – when the president is in residence.
Here’s an earlier photo of the Guard of Honour from 2014:
Managing Editor: TheFirearmBlog.com & Overt Defense.com. Matt is a British historian specialising in small arms development and military history. He has written several books and for a variety of publications in both the US and UK. Matt is also runs The Armourer's Bench, a video series on historically significant small arms. Here on TFB he covers product and current military small arms news. Reach Matt at: matt@thefirearmblog.com
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I wish latvia the best. Have known a few of them over the past few years and liked them all. Couldn't think of a better rifle to represent and protect freedom; great choice.
Listen, Latvia: welcome to the club and we appreciate you taking it so seriously and in the unlikely event of ''SHTF-RED-DAWN-END-WAR-WWIII'', we're right there with ya.
But let's get something straight for a minute:
You were a village in north east europe for pretty much forever.
You got absorbed by the soviet union.
The soviet union shat the bed and forgot you existed.
You kinda just walked out of the back door.
And now you launder money for a living.
Let's not get too carried away with the independence monuments. Sneaking out of the party while everybody's passed out, ain't exactly the Normandy landing.
Thank's for joining up though. Digging them M16's buddy! Look's good on you!