Commander of the Army inspected training of the Jaeger Brigade and met its personnel

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki inspected training of the Jaeger Brigade during 30.-31.3.2025.

Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Pasi Välimäki inspected conscript training of the Jaeger Brigade at Rovaniemi and Sodankylä, as well as discussed with the brigade’s personnel both at Rovaniemi and Sodankylä. Points of discussion, alongside Army topical matters, were visibility of NATO and exercise activity at the brigade, as well as personnel’s well-being and professional development. 

On the first day of the inspection, Commander inspected training of the Rovaniemi Air Defence Battalion at Someroharju Garrison.

— Air defence missions and their significance on the modern battlefield are obvious, as indicated in very concrete terms over the past few days. Training and mission essential equipment provide the basis for operating under exceptional circumstances. On the battlefield, only the hits count. Precise drilling of tactics, techniques and procedures enables progression of basic competence to a level that allows successful interception of assault aircraft, helicopters, and drones when in sight. This also contributes to development of in-service and occupational safety that is of importance to us all, Lieutenant General Välimäki points out. 

On the second day, Commander inspected training of the Lapland Jaeger Battalion at the close exercise range of Sodankylä Garrison. 
— While developing infantry and mortar combat and weapons and marksmanship training, lessons learned are considered relating to both Ukrainian battles and recent training exercises. In conjunction with the Cold Response -exercise, validation included verifying the hampering impact of weather and conditions on the usability of drone equipment, as well as the importance of utilising camouflage and concealment methods and terrain contours for protection against effects of electronic warfare and satellite ISR. We need to be capable of putting together traditional means alongside innovating new ones. This will allow us to respond to changes on the modern battlefield. Operating in the North always asks for being able to consider the changing conditions plus the weather, Lieutenant Genral Välimäki says.

— The Jaeger Brigade has achieved an extremely good reputation among our allies as a great master and instructor of arctic competence. Together with the 3. Logistics Regiment, the brigade has been responsible for host nation support arrangements for our allies in exercises and forces in the North for an extensive period of time. The standard operating procedures have been finetuned by our innovative and resilient personnel jointly with our allies. All this has been doable thanks to our competent and committed personnel. I regard highly the brigade’s personnel and their contribution both as concerns daily work and demanding training exercises.  As the arctic region increases in its importance, professional personnel will constitute a solid basis for the future of operating, Lieutenant General Välimäki says.