Citizen Service: The First Line of Defense

Around the world, security is often discussed in terms of borders, budgets, and military capabilities. But again and again, history shows that the true foundation of security begins at a much more basic level: with citizens willing to take action to defend their communities, values, and way of life.

Ukraine’s survival, especially since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has made this unmistakably clear. Before international assistance arrived, ordinary Ukrainians became first responders, medics, volunteers, and defenders. Their civic action transformed resilience into reality. Lithuania, a country shaped by its own history of occupation and resistance, understands this instinctively.

This past January, as I returned to Ukraine and made my first visit to Lithuania, I saw striking parallels between the two countries. These parallels are rooted not only in shared history, but in a shared belief that freedom must be actively defended. That belief is visible today in Lithuania’s approach to civil preparedness and citizen service.

I spent two days in the Lithuanian woods, in unforgiving single-digit temperatures, at a military base with Spirit of America. We were there to support the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (LRU), a volunteer civic organization trained by U.S. military partners, by providing $80,000 in Tactical Combat Casualty Care supplies. The 10 medical training kits and 15 “combat lifesaver” backpacks were immediately distributed across all 10 LRU units nationwide, strengthening lifesaving medical readiness among 18,000 volunteer members.

This visit underscored a larger truth: Lithuania has been watching Ukraine closely, learning from its experience. And preparing its citizens accordingly.

Spirit of America staff Adriana Teluk and Grant Peehler on the ground with the Lithuania Riflemen’s Union (Photo credit: Lithuania Riflemen Union).

Lithuania and Ukraine: Historical Ties Shaped by Survival

To understand why citizen service matters so deeply in Lithuania today, it helps to look backward. The country’s approach to preparedness is shaped not by abstract threat assessments, but by centuries of shared history with Ukraine, and Russia’s repeated attempts to erase both nations from the map.

Lithuania and Ukraine share close historical and cultural ties, anchored by centuries of coexistence within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Throughout history, both Lithuania and Ukraine have had to fight for their right to exist. Russia has long oppressed both nations through imperial, Soviet, and modern policies aimed at destroying national identity and blocking independence.

During World War II, Lithuania and Ukraine became major theaters of Nazi‑Soviet combat and central sites of the Holocaust. In Lithuania, Soviet occupation led to the loss of nearly one‑fifth of the population through mass deportations, executions, violent suppression of resistance, and forced Russification. That repression continued into the post‑Soviet period, when Moscow responded to Lithuania’s 1990 declaration of independence with an economic blockade, cutting off oil and gas supplies.

In Ukraine, repression took the form of cultural and linguistic bans, systematic execution of cultural leaders, mass deportations, and religious persecution. Stalin’s man‑made Holodomor famine of 1932–1933 killed millions of Ukrainians. Since 2014, Russia has continued this pattern through the illegal annexation of Crimea, the war in Donbas, and the full‑scale invasion launched in 2022, marked by atrocities against civilians, child deportations, and efforts to erase Ukrainian culture.

Regional Resilience and Solidarity

Lithuania understands the threat of Russian imperialism firsthand and was among the first countries to support Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, it has remained one of Ukraine’s strongest backers. Following Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union nearly doubled, growing from about 10,000 volunteers to over 17,000 by mid‑2025.

Having survived Soviet repression and attempts to erase national identity, both nations share a quiet, unspoken understanding: freedom must be actively defended. With a population of under 3 million — roughly the size of Kyiv alone — Lithuania prioritizes civil preparedness and regional resilience. This is reflected in civilian defense training, including the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, where many medical trainees are professionals in civilian life. Across conversations and training grounds, the motivation is consistent. Men and women are preparing today to secure their children’s future tomorrow.

Supplies provided by Spirit of America (Photo credit: Spirit of America, Adriana Teluk).

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to the 407th Civil Affairs Battalion, Spirit of America staff Adriana Teluk and Grant Peehler, and members of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union pose for a photo during Unified Partners ’26 at the Soldier Center on General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area, Pabradė, Lithuania. Unified Partners ’26 continued to strengthen the enduring partnership between the U.S. and Lithuania, reaffirming a shared commitment to collective defense, regional security, and the strength of the NATO Alliance (Photo credit: U.S. Army Sgt. Asher Atkinson).

“We will load everything Spirit of America provided into vehicles and distribute it to all 10 Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union counties. LRU volunteers will use these supplies for their trainings. It definitely helps. It will be a huge impact — very valuable, in fact.”
– Colonel Idzelis

Strengthening NATO’s East Flank Deterrence Line

During the visit, we delivered direct support to a key U.S. partner, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union (LRU). We completed a medical supply handoff with Colonel Idzelis and observed U.S. Army-led training for LRU volunteer medics using Spirit of America‑provided equipment.

Medics then put those skills into practice during field exercises. With temperatures well below freezing, the winter conditions added another layer of complexity. Snow and wind tested endurance with every step. Gloveless fingers numbed within minutes. And still, the LRU volunteers pressed on. Their determination proved stronger than the cold as they completed every exercise. This included clearing trenches to defend occupied territory and conducting emergency medical evacuations, all using Spirit of America-provided gear. The training combined medical care with real-world tactics to build readiness, teamwork, and confidence under pressure.

Instructor demonstrating medical training in Lithuania (Photo credit: Spirit of America, Adriana Teluk).

Outdoor training in Lithuania (Photo credit: Spirit of America, Adriana Teluk).

Colonel Idzelis of the LRU, a Ukraine supporter since 2014, highlighted the reality of living next to Russia. “If Ukraine will be taken, it’s only a matter of weeks until [Lithuania] will be taken, too.”

Civil defense organizations like the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union reflect a deliberate choice to strengthen readiness at the societal level by training citizens now so that response is instinctive, coordinated, and resilient under pressure. Spirit of America plays a direct role in this effort by equipping citizen-led partners like the LRU with the training and lifesaving resources they need to build readiness before crisis strikes.

Defending Democracy Starts with Citizens

Realistic scenarios enacted during medical training practice (Photo credit: Spirit of America, Adriana Teluk).

Citizen service is not just a national responsibility; it is the foundation of global security. Lithuania and Ukraine show why: two nations that have survived centuries of Russian aggression because ordinary people chose to defend their communities, identity, and freedom. As Lithuania watches Ukraine’s fight, it is preparing with clear eyes for the possibility that it could be next. Their example is a reminder that security begins with the individual, with citizens willing to take civic steps to protect democracy long before the threat reaches their own doorstep.