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The Lithuanian Riflemen Union was founded in 1919, in the aftermath of Lithuania’s declaration of independence, as a voluntary civic defense movement. During the interwar period, it became one of the largest and most influential public organizations in Lithuania, uniting tens of thousands of members. Riflemen played a vital role in strengthening the country’s security, civic education, and national identity. After the Soviet occupation in 1940, the Union was banned, and many of its members faced persecution, imprisonment, or deportation.

Following the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1990, the Riflemen Union was re-established as part of the democratic state. Since then, it has grown into a nationwide civic organization with more than 17,000 members in Lithuania and abroad. Today, it continues its original mission: to provide citizens with a legal and transparent way to contribute to national defense, resilience, and community life — always in close cooperation with the Lithuanian Armed Forces and state institutions.