Memoir Antti Lankinen 1949–2021

Brigadier Antti Lankinen died suddenly in Luumäki on November 26, 2021. He was 72 years old, born in Ilmajoki on February 5, 1949.

Lankinen enrolled as a student at Järvenpää Co-educational School in 1968. He graduated from cadet course 56 as an officer in 1972 and began working in the Uusimaa Rakuunapataljon as a team leader and later as the company’s deputy manager and chief.

Lankinen bravely maintained the battalion’s reputation in the armed forces, military province, and other races. He won the Defense Forces Championships in Scouting and the Military Triathlon Team Competition. He was enthusiastic about many events. It was not a big surprise that Antti and Liisa’s lifelong journey began in Lappeenranta.

After graduating from the Military Academy, Lankinen continued there as an office manager and teacher in 1981–1985. After that, he was the head of the office and department head of the Ostrobothnian Military Province’s headquarters in Vaasa, and occasionally the head of the operational office of the Finnish Battalion’s headquarters in Lebanon in 1987.

At the General Staff Lankinen served in the Arrangement Department and the Operations Department from 1992 to 1994. He was in Lebanon for the second time as commander of the Finnish Battalion in 1995 and then as a teacher and line manager at the National Defense College for about two years.

Lankinen was the commander of the North Karelia Brigade in Kontioranta from 1998 to 2000. After this, the transfer to Lappeenranta became the director of the National Defense College. Lankinen and his colleagues did a great job when the National Defense College became the Army School, of which he was the first director.

From Lappeenranta, Lankinen became Chief of Staff of the Northern Defense Area Staff in 2002 and from there to the Commander of the Multinational Brigade in Kosovo in 2004. He then served as Chief of Staff of the Eastern Defense Area Staff and finally as Commander of the National Defense Area.

Lankinen resigned from the regular service in 2007.

Active career After that, Antti was the creator in Luumäki as the chairman of the local road cooperative, the founder and chairman of the water cooperative, the Primus motor of the Independence Road and related signs, and the workman and guide of the Svinhufvud Home Museum. He served as chairman of the Luumäki Parish Council for two terms.

Antti was an active chairman of the regional associations of the Jääkäri Battalion 27, the War of Independence Tradition Association, the Paasikivi Society and the Homeland Association.

The close circle of the humorous and courageous Antti included a wife, three children with their families, and a mother and siblings with their families.

Seppo Pesonen

The author is Antti Lankinen’s service partner and long-term family friend.