Defence League members welcomed home from six-month Iraq stint

Defence League commander Brig. Gen. Riho Ühtegi, in a speech at the welcome ceremony at the force's Tallinn headquarters Friday, said: "The members of the Defence League proved that voluntary national defense is not just empty words - volunteers are able to perform military duties also in a real conflict situation."

"I am certain that the experience acquired in the past six months will also prove useful in rehearsing Estonia's defense and I urge that the members of Kaitseliit who have arrived home share these experiences with their districts," Ühetegi went on.

Deputy secretary general at the defence ministry Margus Matt, also at Friday's welcome ceremony, said: "Our troops who have served in military operations are held in high regard in Estonia as well as among our allies and partners.“

"The exemplary service of members of the [Regular] Estonian Defence Forces and of the Defence League has become a quality trademark," he continued. "That, in turn, encourages our NATO allies to comprehensively contribute to Estonia' national defence. This is what solidarity is - readiness to help one another not just with words but also with action."

"That, in turn, encourages our NATO allies to comprehensively contribute to Estonia' national defense. This is what solidarity is -- readiness to help one another not just with words but also with action."

Ühtegi and Matt thanked the Defence League members, who received service medals. Family members were also present at the ceremony.

The 35 members were drawn from 13 of the Defence League's districts, while their activities in Iraq mainly concerned escorting the allied forces and ensuring their security.

These tasks were similar to what the personnel would do at home, in crisis rehearsal situations, such as ensuring the security of objects and convoys and conducting patrols, but additionally in the context of both an international unit and a real conflict situation.

Force protection unit Estguard 4 was part of the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), which was set up in 2018 and which aims to strengthen Iraqi security institutions and forces and involves around 500 personnel, including some from non-NATO partner states, including Finland and Sweden.

The Defence League augments the regular Estonian Defence Forces (EDF). The latter is composed of regular service people, conscripts and reservists. The Defence League is volunteer-based and recruited territorially; as such it is a citizenry force and, alongside the EDF conscripts and reservists, means that there is much less separation between civil and military society in Estonia than might be expected in larger countries which do not have conscription, such as the U.K.