Ambassador White visits U.S. instructors at the Norwegian School of Winter Warfare

February 1, 2012

Ambassador White got to test winter military vehicles while in Elverum.

Ambassador White also got to test military arms.

This year, two instructors from the U.S. Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center (MWTC) in Bridgeport, CA, are participating in the Allied Officers Winter Warfare Course (AOWWC) in Norway, and Ambassador White went to Elverum to visit on February 1. In addition to talking to the two U.S. instructors and other military personnel, the Ambassador got to test winter military vehicles, such as a snowmobile, as well as military arms.

The AOWWC course is a six week course which focuses on platoon level responsibilities in a winter environment. The initial three weeks of training focuses on improving individual survival skills in a winter environment with the final three weeks focusing on combat tactics and techniques. Cold weather training is an integral part of the various U.S. Services' core competencies.

The Norwegian School of Winter Warfare (NSWW) in Elverum offers multiple winter warfare courses each year for Norwegian military and NATO partners, and the U.S. has a long standing history of sending students to the various courses offered at NSWW. In fact, the first U.S. student attended winter survival courses in 1947, and since that time, over 500 U.S. personnel have participated as students. By sending U.S. instructors to this school, it affords the opportunity for instructors to share best training practices and facilitates interoperability between U.S. and Norwegian forces.