Having decided to become a soldier he completed Irkutsk military school and then commenced service with the 183rd Pultusk Infantry Regiment.

On 31 December, Kalpaks became Commander-in-Chief of all the armed units at the disposal of the Provisional Government of Latvia.

From January to March 1919 the 1st Latvian Battalion fought with the German VI Reserve Corps to repel the Bolshevik raids into Kurzeme and this was the start of Latvia's struggle for liberation.

On 6 March 1919 near Airītes, by mistake, Kalpaks was killed in a skirmish with German Freikorps troops.

Although never officially assigned to this rank or position,[1] Kalpaks is regarded as the first Commander in Chief of Latvian Armed Forces.