{"id":43848,"date":"2018-03-21T17:06:37","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T17:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/21\/norway-could-agree-to-additional-us-marine-presence-by-summer\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:09:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:09:21","slug":"norway-could-agree-to-additional-us-marine-presence-by-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2018\/03\/21\/norway-could-agree-to-additional-us-marine-presence-by-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Norway could agree to additional US Marine presence by summer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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U.S. Marines train with the Norwegian army Cold Weather and Mountain Training Instructors in Bl\u00e5tind, Norway, 27 Oct. to 4 Nov., 2016, to improve their winter warfare skills and capabilities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 Norway\u2019s defense minister hopes to make a decision by summer about expanding the U.S. Marine Corps\u2019 presence<\/a> in his country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Pentagon \u201cwould like to extend the period and they would like to see whether we could increase. We will look into it and give them an answer in, before the summer,\u201d Frank Bakke-Jensen<\/a> told Defense News during a visit to Washington. \u201cThat\u2019s my ambition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 300 Marines from various units have been involved in six-month rotations in and out of V\u00e6rnes, located in midwest Norway. Members from 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will soon replace the small contingent of Marines from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines in Norway, a Marine spokesman confirmed earlier this month<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller, who Bakke-Jensen met with during his trip to the Pentagon, has emphasized a need<\/a> for the Corps to increase its winter training capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bakke-Jensen met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on March 20, but a defense department spokesman said the issue was not discussed between the two men. Instead, a spokesperson from the Norwegian MoD described the topic as a standing request from the Pentagon.
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In recent months, opposition political leaders have questioned<\/a> the U.S. presence in Norway. But Bakke-Jensen, for his part, sees a benefit for Norway in having the U.S. troops handy, noting that more training opportunities \u201cmakes our troops better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is an important part of the NATO membership, to have allied troops [visiting] in Norway and training with us. So for us, it\u2019s important, but we need to do some work on the numbers, on where they are supposed to exercise,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t