Most of the new officers will work half-time at the (F)HQ. The rest of the time they will be with their regular units in their respective home countries.
“This is a good solution, not least financially. We don’t have a full workload for everyone all the time. These people come here for training, exercises and other important activities, such as precise planning, for example, and of course they are also on standby, together with us,” explains Tomas Nybom, who is Head of Personnel at the (F)HQ.
Tomas Nybom was present in the supply room when the newly-enrolled personnel were fitted out:
“It’s great to be able to put a face to what has so far mostly been a name on a list,” he says laughing.
The NBG is nothing new to some of the staff officers. Magnus Rosengren is such an example. He already worked at the (F)HQ during NBG-08 and right now, like back then, he is with PSYOPS:
“It feels good to be back,” he says as he tries on a cap in the supply room.
Since the last time round, Magnus Rosengren has managed to work in Afghanistan with the same sort of issues and his regular place of work is at the Swedish Armed Forces’ PSYOPS unit in the Armed Forces Command and Control Regiment:
“Being able to work half-time at the (F)HQ and half-time at the PSYOPS unit enriches both services. As far as I’m concerned, it’s better than being full-time in one place,” he says.
A week of introductory training awaits Magnus Rosengren and the other new recruits, then they and others at the (F)HQ will be thrown right into the thick of things:
“Our first major exercise, Combined Joint Staff Exercise, starts on Monday, when the staff will be placed in a field-based group for the first time,” concludes Tomas Nybom.