SESSVELLMOEN, Norway - During a brief ceremony at the Joint Logistics Support Group Headquarters in Sessvellmoen, Croatian Army Brigadier General Darko Pintaric, Commander of the JLSG, took charge, as planned, of all the main logistics support for Exercise Trident Juncture 18 from Norway’s Joint Headquarters.
The JLSG combines the logistic efforts and capabilities of all contributing nations, resulting in a more efficient process, with a smaller footprint.
"The exercise will allow us to demonstrate and prove the JLSG concept; employing this multinational headquarters and units will prove more efficient for the Alliance,” said Pintaric. "Even though the JLSG is a relatively small component of Trident Juncture, we have a footprint over a large part of this beautiful country and play a significant role in the Exercise. Together with Norwegian military organizations, agencies and contractors and supported by National Support Elements, as one team, we have a presence wherever equipment or personnel are coming into the country, by ship, road, rail or air. Whether you are in Fredrikstand in the South, Andalsnes in the West, Hammernesodden on the North of Roeros in the East, the JLSG teams will be working hard to ensure that the all-important logistics effort runs smoothly.”
The JLSG will be responsible for moving thousands of personnel and around 10,000 vehicles from their entry points in Norway to where they need to be for the exercise. After the exercise, the JLSG then has to get everything out of the country. Nineteen nations, including NATO partners Sweden and Norway have contributed specialists and equipment to the JLSG.
Norwegian Navy Rear Admiral Sverre Nordahl Engeness, Chief of Operations at the Norwegian Joint HQ highlighted some of the challenges ahead, including the notorious Norwegian weather and the potential for congestion on single track roads, but was confident that the JLSG would succeed. He said "This is going to be a seamless transition. Talking together, working together and resolving issues as they come along are the key.” He finished by thanking the JLSG staff for their efforts and wishing them luck in the coming weeks.
The JLSG will be responsible for most of Trident Juncture’s logistics support until early December, by when the majority of troops and equipment will have left Norway.
Story by JFC Naples Public Affairs Office