On the 13th of June 2008 the Baltic Defence College graduated the students of the Joint Command and General Staff Course 2007/2008 and the Civil Servants Course 2008. The Graduation Ceremony, held in the Main Hall of the Baltic Defence College, was honored with the presence of Chief of Estonian Defence Forces LtGen Ants Laaneots, representatives of the three Baltic States as well as honorable guests from European countries who came to congratulate the graduates on this special occasion.

Graduation speeches were delivered by the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College BrigGen Gundars Âbols, and by the highest Baltic States representatives in the Ceremony the Permanent Undersecretary of Estonian Ministry of Defence Mr Lauri Almann, Undersecretary of State of Latvian Ministry of Defence, and the former Commandant of the Baltic Defence College BrigGen Algis Vaiceliunas. The Ceremony was opened by Brigadier General Gundars Âbols, the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College who in his Graduation Speech stated that “The multinationality is one of the main features of the College and in the courses. In a couple of minutes, we will graduate officers and civil servants from 19 different nations. I am especially satisfied that we today will graduate the same number of students that once joined the courses, 64 students from the Joint Command and General Staff Course after 11 months studies and 11 students from the Civil servants Course which started 5 months ago.”

The Graduation Ceremony of the students of the Joint Command and General Staff Course and the Civil Servants Course followed with studentsÂ’ speeches and ceremonial handing over of Diplomas and Graduation Badges.  

The official Graduation Ceremony was followed by awarding ceremony where 11 Baltic Defence College Directing Staff members finishing their service at the Baltic Defence College were awarded with the Baltic Defence College Service Cross. The Baltic Defence College Service Cross was awarded to Col Pekka Sviili, LtCol Gintaras Smaliukas, LtCol Valdas Åšiauciulis, LtCol Marius Titi-Potirniche, LtCol Eglis Lescinskis, Cdr Kjetil Berge, LtCol Toivo Treima, Maj Agris Jermacans, SGM Viljar Hallik, Col (ret) Dietmar Paun and Ms Kaire Hallik  for their outstanding service to the College. Service Cross was also awarded to MSG Tartmo Tammela and Maj Kristian Moora, a former staff member who left the College in 2007.   The Baltic Defence College Medal of Merit, for the contribution to the development to the Baltic Defence College, was awarded to Col Pekka Sviili, Col Kristian Ekroll, LtCol Gintaras Smaliukas, Cdr Kjetil Berge, LtCol Eglis Lescinskis, LtCol Marius Titi-Potirniche, LtCol Valdas Åšiauciulis, LtCol Raul Öpik, SGM Viljar Hallik, Ms Kaire Hallik and Ms Eve Vahtra.   BrigGen Algis Vaiceliunas, the Commandant of the Baltic Defence College from 2004 till 2007, was awarded with the Service Cross and the Medal of Merit Gold.  

The highlight of the Graduation Ceremony was the concert and program by the Latvian Military Orchestra which performed a spectacular defile program at the Raekoja Plats. After an exceptional performance the orchestra received a great applause by the audience who had gathered to watch the spectacular.  

The concert program was followed by a reception with musical entertainment by Saxofon Quartet in the Main Hall of the Baltic Defence College, where the graduates and their family members, honorable guests and the staff members of the Baltic Defence College could engage in informal discussions and conversations.