TRØNDELAG, Norway – One hundred Soldiers and Airmen from the Minnesota National Guard traveled to Norway for the 53rd Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange, or NOREX, an annual exchange that strengthens their partnership with Norway in the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program through rigorous cold-weather training alongside the Norwegian Home Guard, or HV.
This year's exchange, held Feb. 4-18 and the longest-running of its kind in the Department of War, was led by U.S. Army Maj. Zachery Hendrickson and Command Sgt. Maj. Christian Hudson, alongside their counterpart from the Norwegian Home Guard, Maj. Carl Einar Brønn. The training included an extended field exercise, or FTX, and a new advanced winter warfare course designed to push participants’ capabilities.
"This year’s exchange presents a unique and exciting enhanced training opportunity for our Soldiers and Airmen to train and operate alongside our Norwegian Home Guard HV-12 counterparts, beyond the traditional FTX,” said Hendrickson, the NOREX Away Team Officer in Charge. “The enhanced training provided by the Norwegian HV-12 Rapid Reaction Force provided realistic and tactical training that was born from front-line experience.”
For many participants, the motivation to endure the challenging Norwegian winter was deeply personal, stemming from family heritage and recent operational experience.
"NOREX was really important to me because I have family that came from Norway, and I also did NOREX at Camp Ripley in 2024,” U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Fritjof Engebretson said. “I have some good Norwegian friends that I still stay in contact with from NOREX 2024, and I wanted to get out here and experience what these guys get to do."
That sentiment was echoed by others, such as U.S. Army Sgt. Samuel Ochocki, who was inspired to join the exchange after working closely with Norwegian forces on a recent deployment. These prior connections underscore the real-world relevance of the enduring partnership.
The intensive training began immediately. After a briefing on arctic expedition survival from Norwegian 1st Sgt. Bengt Rotmo, the troops embarked on a six-day FTX in Haltdalen. They mastered skills from skiing and avalanche rescue to building their own snow caves for shelter.
During the training, nine Minnesota National Guard members chose to reenlist during a ceremony on the mountain. For U.S. Army Sgt. Lucas Fisher, one of the reenlisting Soldiers, the decision was about the team.
"It’s bigger than just a job,” said Fisher. “You matter to a team, and people depend on you."
After the FTX, a new "Enhanced Winter Warfare Training" course held Feb. 13-15 integrated U.S. and Norwegian personnel into combined squads for platoon-level offensive and defensive scenarios. The training was designed to test leaders and build foundational skills under pressure.
"This training is designed to stretch you," said Brønn, commander of HV-12 Rapid Reaction Force Rype. "It is important to train leaders, and leaders get training when they lead troops. We can't just go right into trench warfare. We have to progress gradually to build the right foundation."
A powerful example of this realistic training philosophy occurred during a specialized cold-weather injury exercise for U.S. and Norwegian medics. In a remarkable display of dedication, a Norwegian Home Guard medic instructor voluntarily induced hypothermia in himself to provide a live-training scenario. This allowed the combined medical teams to gain invaluable hands-on experience treating a real casualty in a field hospital and to share critical best practices in a high-stakes environment.
The exchange concluded with cultural tours and a farewell banquet, reinforcing the personal bonds that have been the bedrock of this 53-year-old alliance. The Minnesota contingent returned home on Feb. 18, bringing back advanced skills and the strengthened camaraderie that defines NOREX.
"I’m proud of our Soldiers and Airmen,” Hendrickson said. “I’m proud of their resilience, courage and professionalism over the course of NOREX53. This year, they had opportunities that no other American contingent has had, and they excelled."