The Defense Ministry invites Latvians to 'say hello to a soldier' they know on social media using the #pasveicinikaraviru hashtag. Meanwhile people serving at the volunteer National Guard are invited to go to work in uniform.
The Latvian army was set up on July 10, 1919 uniting two Latvian brigades after the joint forces of the Northern Latvia brigade and Estonia secured a victory against German forces in the first world war.
The Northern Latvia brigade marched to Rīga where they joined up with the Special (also known as the Southern) Latvia brigade, with Dāvids Sīmansons being named the first army chief.
A few months later, on November 11, 1919 the newly-created army emerged victorious in a decisive battle against Bermont-Avalov's German-Russian monarchist troops.
Late last year, Leonids Kalnins was appointed as the country's senior military officer or chief of defense.
Šodien @Latvijas_armija dzimšanas diena. Sveicam un lepojamies! Zināji, ka: https://t.co/JjhEFZAtAy #pasveicinikaravīru pic.twitter.com/t0XX0j3WlU
— LV portāls (@LV_portals) July 10, 2017
