National Guard chaplain says peace means being able to defend Latvia

Peace includes the ability to defend oneself and one’s country, Latvian National Guard senior chaplain Jēkabs Dzērve says in an interview on LSM’s “Formā!” podcast. LSM journalist Andrejs Hutorovs reported on the discussion.

A chaplain’s role in the military is not to persuade or preach, but to be present, Dzērve said. Chaplains support everyone, not only those who believe in God or belong to a religious denomination. They discuss spiritual matters when people want to talk about them, he said.

Dzērve said it can be difficult for men to acknowledge weakness and speak about what frightens them. He encourages soldiers to recognise that fear is human and to draw strength from the people they love and who love them.

“Formā!” explores how a person dedicated to peace can live with the realities of military service, including weapons and death. Dzērve said that on November 11, people would gather at the Brothers’ Cemetery, and that remembering those who gave their lives for Latvia is also a responsibility.

The podcast series is produced by National Guard members Mārtiņš Vecvanags and Ritvars Vulis, who serve in the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the Land Forces’ Mechanised Infantry Brigade, in cooperation with LSM.lv. The episode is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and LSM.lv.