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6th Division

6th Division is the largest unit in the Army as well as in the Armed Forces, The 6th Division combines a divisional command and 12 battalions under one command in one collective unit. The division was organised in three result areas: 6th Division Command, Brigade North and Troms Garrison in a collected matrix organised staff.

The 6th Division is the Army's forward professional milieu on development of operational co-operation in a combined arms frame, producing forces for different situations in a range of confl ict situations. 6th Division trains the main part of the Norwegian Army's conscripted personnel and units, including 12 battalions training units from section level to brigade/division level. An excellent maneuver area combined with joint training possibilities with all the Army's capacitites, as well as national and allied sea- and air forces, enables the division to carry out unique joint operations.

The 6th Division's main mission in 2003 was to train soldiers, officers and units for foreign and domestic missions. Simultaneously, the division maintained and developed brigade- and division competence, including a deployable divisional command and co-operation competence with allied forces. The 6th Division trained soldiers for mobilisation duties and international missions, within the frame of the 12 battalions and Troms Garrison. During 2003 the division raised and trained a mechanised infantry battalion for the KFOR mission in Kosovo and a number of smaller units for missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo and Iraq. The division also posted guards- and security personnel during extraction from U.S. supply storages in Norway. In addition this, the division also took part in various search and rescue operations.

The training year 2003 had a difficult start as Exercise "White Mink" was cancelled due to economic reasons, setting extra high demands on the preparations for the Exercise Joint Winter in March 2003. The commander of the 6th Division led this, with a favourable exercise experience for the divisional command. An important aspect of the exercise was to train the battalion which was to be deployed to Kosovo. 2nd battalion was therefore tasked with being the opposing force for the rest of the divisional forces, and reinforced to maximise the outcome of the exercise. For the rest of the units the exercise was good training, and went according to plan without major injuries or accidents. Exercise Flexible Response in June 2003 was the second of the larger exercises, and the test of whether the operational training settings of 2002/03 were accomplished. On this exercise the complete strength of the Division participated, and was completed with a live fire exercise at Setermoen fi ring range. Development of the of the 5th Divisional Command went according to plan, and participated at Exercise Gainful Sword in Poland of October 2003 as part of the 1st German-Dutch Corps.

The impression of the summer of 2003 included several new momentums, such as the Division carried out conscript reception in southern Norway. The education and training of the soldiers in the autmn and winter of 2003 went according to plan. Safety was a main focus area within training during the autumn; reinforced by the death of one of the Division's conscripted soldier, the 21-year old Stian Engebretsen, killed in a drowning accident at Langvann lake in Balsfj ord on 2nd of June 2003. The tragic death made a deep impression on the unit, and spurred a directed process around the safety aspect of training and operations, manifested during Exercise Joint Winter 2004. Last part of 2003 was also influenced by the implementation of the Army's Forces (AFO) - one of the new guidelines in the Norwegian Army of 2004. By the end of the year, structure and new guidelines were prepared and ready, as Commander 6th Division is also Commander ARFO. 6th Division was early 2004 also ready to take over as RSF in Troms.