US awards medals to Estonian dog handlers who helped find missing soldier
The U.S. Army awarded medals and certificates to the Police and Border Guard Board officers and their search dogs for their role in the mission to find four missing soldiers in Lithuania in March.
The officers from the K9 dog unit helped to recover the body of a missing soldier lost in a bog.
Senior Superintendent Alar Siniorg and Superintendent Risto Kotkas were decorated with the Public Service Commendation Medal, while a certificate of appreciation was given to Senior Commissioner Heili Kurrel.
Kurrel quickly identified the existing agreement between Estonia and the Lithuanian Police and began rapid coordination, while Kotkas and Siniorg traveled to Lithuania to assist the search.
Yesterday a Lithuanian military working dog joined the search, and Estonia flew two more military working dogs to assist. From the bottom of our hearts we thank these three NATO Allies for helping us bring our Soldier home. #WeWillNotRest pic.twitter.com/8zJV3LR70b
— U.S. Army Europe and Africa (@USArmyEURAF) April 1, 2025
Additionally, search dogs Maik and Tiit were given Certificates of Appreciation.
The U.S. Embassy in Estonia's Chargé d'affaires Matthew E. Wall made the announcement earlier this week at the annual 4th of July party.
"The most important rule that soldiers live by is to leave no one behind. At almost any cost you try and get your comrades off the field of battle with you, and, if they've made the ultimate sacrifice, you try to get them home where they can be with their loved ones," he said.
"Because of their [the Estonians'] dedicated efforts, we were able to fulfill that sacred pledge to leave no one behind and they could be returned to their homeland and their families."
Four soldiers and an M88 Hercules tracked recovery vehicle went missing during an exercise near the Belarusian border on March 25. It was located the next day submerged in a swampy area at a depth of around five meters.
Lithuanian Minister of Defense Dovile Šakaliene said the vehicle weighed nearly 70 tons and had become firmly stuck in deep mud, hampering rescue efforts further.
The large-scale recovery work involved the Lithuanian army and rescue services, as well as U.S. and Polish forces.
The U.S. Army is investigating the cause of the accident.
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Editor: Helen Wright
