Tekst og foto L. Larsen, presseofficer Viking Star
Planerne for den store øvelse hvor ca. 100
soldater fra National Guard, Michigan USA, ca. 100 mand fra en engelsk
opklaringsenhed og knapt 100 Hjemmeværnssoldater deltager, har været klar
længe. Det er dog sådan, at en plan kun holder til ”første sammenstød med
fjenden”. Det er også tilfældet med årets øvelse, der har base i
Nymindegablejren.
Ændrede ankomsttider skal passes ind i planen
og kræver bl.a. stor indsats af logistiksektionen, der har til huse i
Nymindegablejrens bygning 10. Chef for Logistiksektionen er kaptajn Matz der
har stor erfaring med denne tilbagevendende øvelse, som han har været en del af
i flere år.
- Ja, det hele begyndte med at jeg tilbage i 2013 fik
buddet om at stå for øvelsen, og selvfølgelig slog jeg til. Det var
en stor udfordring at stå for et så stort arrangement og stort set være alene
om det hele. Jeg fik sågar en skriftlig tilkendegivelse fra England efter
øvelsen, en skrivelse fra det der her i Danmark nok svarer til Hærstaben, siger
kaptajn Matz med synlig stolthed under en pause i forberedelserne.
Telefonerne ringer og justering af planlægningen
fortsætter i Logistiksektionen, så alt er klar til de engelske og de amerikanske
styrkers ankomst. Viking Star 2017 første egentlige aktiviteter indledes mandag
11. september med enkeltmandsuddannelse, hvor der bl.a. indgår skarpskydning
inden det hele ender op i en stor feltøvelse i Oksbølområdet med deltagelse af
op mod 300 mand.
Selve feltøvelsen tager
sin begyndelse søndag 17. september hen under aften og afsluttes 20. september.
Ud over vedligeholdelse efter øvelsen gennemføres en ”All Ranks Evening” hvor
enhederne kan få en snak med de øvrige under afslappede former under Viking
Star Barbecue 2017.
English version:
Camp Nymindegab is full with acitivity
The exercise
Viking Star has started and the last adjustments have been made, before the
British and American soldiers arrive.
Text and photo L. Larsen, Pressofficer Viking
Star
The plans for the
big exercise, where app. 100 soldiers from Michigan National Guard USA, 100
soldiers from a British unit and 100 Danish Homeguardsoldiers have been ready
to be executed for a long time.
But any plan only lasts so long, until it gets activated – this is also the
case with this year’s exercise, based in Camp Nymindegab.
Changes in time of
arrival must be fitted into the plan and demands flexibility and hard work for
the Logistics-Section, situated in Bldg. 10 in Camp Nymindegab. The head of
Logistics is Captain Matz who has a lot of experience with this reoccurring
exercise that he has been a part of for years.
- It all started
back in 2013 with me getting the offer to be responsible for the exercise, and
of course I accepted. It was a big challenge to be able to plan such a big
event almost singlehandedly. I even received a written citation from the
British after the exercise from what is equal to the Danish Army Staff, Captain
Matz tells, visibly proud, during a break in the planning.
Phones are ringing and the adjustments of the plans continues in the Logistics
section, so everything can be ready for the arrival of the British and American
soldiers. Viking Star 2017 will really take it's ’tart on Monday September 11th,
with training of the single soldier, among other things with live-fire
exercises, before everything culminates with a large field-exercise I the
Oksbøl area with the participation of up to 300 soldiers.
The field exercise itself will begin on Sunday September 17th in the
evening and end on September 20th.
Other than refit and cleaning after the exercise, an “All ranks evening” will
be held, where the units can have a talk and socialize with each other in an
informal way at Viking Star Barbecue 2017.
