Visiting Boden

The Head of the Nordic Battlegroup, Brigadier General Stefan Andersson, visited soldiers that will be on standby for the first six months of 2011.“Last autumn, I went around informing the soldiers about what they are applying for and the risks that exist. This time, I would like to meet the young people, show my respect and find out the reason why they have applied,” says Stefan Andersson.

The Head of the Nordic Battlegroup, Brigadier General Stefan Andersson, talks with the soldiers at the armoured battalion’s company exercise. Photo: Stefan Bokvist/Försvarsmakten
Dennis Pilegaard, Stockholm, is one of several who have applied for the Nordic Battlegroup.
Dennis Pilegaard, Stockholm, is one of several who have applied for the Nordic Battlegroup. Photo: Stefan Bokvist/Försvarsmakten
Dennis Pilegaard, Stockholm, is one of several who have applied for the Nordic Battlegroup. Photo: Stefan Bokvist/Försvarsmakten

It is the armoured battalion’s mechanised battalion that trains some of the soldiers that have applied for the battlegroup. A company exercise, with military operations in urban terrain on the agenda, is currently being performed outside Boden. The visit is one of several unit visits that Stefan Andersson is making in order to meet the soldiers throughout Sweden. Another objective is to gain information from those officers that will lead the companies, platoons and groups.

The Nordic Battlegroup, NBG, will consist of just over 2,000 soldiers representing five countries: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Estonia and Ireland. Sweden has the main responsibility and will contribute around 1,600 soldiers. For a limited time, they will be solving tasks along the entire conflict scale, from humanitarian aid to armed combat.