Warlords, Norwegians prepare for Cold Response

Photo By Gunnery Sgt. Steve Cushman | Marines with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division are pulled on skis by a Bandvagn 206 during a pre-environmental training field exercise to prepare them for exercise Cold Response 2014. Marines and Norwegian soldiers spent three days learning to work together and how to operate in the Norwegian winter environment to prepare the Marines and soldiers for Exercise Cold Response, which is a multinational and multilateral training exercise. The exercise will feature various types of military training including maritime, land and air operations. The location, above the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, provides a unique cold-weather environment for all forces involved to learn and develop procedures from one another.  

GISKAAS, AKERSHUS, NORWAY

03.08.2014

Story by Staff Sgt. Steve Cushman 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

GISKAAS, Norway – On March 12, the Warlords of 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division will begin the annual multinational and multilateral training exercise, Cold Response 2014.

The exercise will feature various types of military training including maritime, land and air operations. The location, above the Arctic Circle in northern Norway, provides a unique cold-weather environment for all forces involved to learn and develop procedures from one another.

To prepare for the exercise the Warlords spent three days in the field learning to work with the Norwegian Army’s Host Nation Support Battalion, who they will work with during CDR14.

The Marines and Norwegian soldiers learned to work together and use the Bandvagn 206, a tracked vehicle used to move troops and equipment over the snow. The Marines also conducted live-fire ranges and a few learned how to drive snow-mobiles for reconnaissance.

“The Norwegians explained how the BVs worked and how we will be able to utilize them,” said Cpl. Jeffrey Dittmar, a Pottsville, Penn., native and a platoon sergeant with Golf Company. “They showed us how to recover them in case of a rollover, we learned a lot about the BVs.”

The Host Nation Support Battalion’s BV Company will support Golf Company during Cold Response providing transportation to different objectives.

“We got enough familiarization in the field to know how to work with the Norwegians during the exercise,” Dittmar said. “The exercise is going to be a good experience working with other countries, something that many of the Marines have never done before.”

• Date Taken: 03.08.2014
• Date Posted: 03.09.2014 19:33
• Story ID: 121750
• Location: GISKAAS, AKERSHUS, NO
• Hometown: POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, US
• Hometown: SHARPTOWN, MARYLAND, US