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On September 1, 2017, Eirik Johan Kristoffersen (51) became chief of the National Guard. In August of last year he became commander of the army. On August 17 of this year, he assumed the post of chief of defense.
It is very rare for such young people to become Chief of Defense in Norway. An exception was Crown Prince Olav (later Olav V), who was in his 40s when he served as defense commander during the war.
Defense Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen (H) says this about the election, in a press release:
– Eirik Kristoffersen is a defense manager for our time. You have the right qualities to lead the Armed Forces.
– We have a security policy situation and technological development that will impose new demands on the Armed Forces. Kristoffersen has a strategic vision and an operational focus. It is innovative and has demonstrated great driving and playability, says Bakke-Jensen.
On July 8, Defense Secretary Haakon Bruun-Hanssen turns 60. In early January, the Defense Ministry announced that the process is in the process of finding a new one.
Aftenposten has previously written about the most relevant candidates as the new manager. We named Eirik Johan Kristoffersen and Tonje Skinnarland (52), commander of the Air Force, as the two most relevant candidates.
Kristoffersen is a commanding general and has made a rocket career in the Armed Forces after having once been an intermediate commander in the Intelligence Battalion in northern Norway and then from below started again as a special soldier.
Kristoffersen has a unique military experience as a special soldier on various international missions, with extensive combat experience. It has, among other things, Norway’s highest military award, the War Cross with swords.
He also has experience at the operational headquarters of the Armed Forces (FOH) in Bodø.
Kristoffersen is active on Facebook and, unlike other Norwegian top officials, has had a clear public voice.
No less important, he stated that today the Armed Forces have very few soldiers.
He said this to Aftenposten last year, as Army commander:
– I have great faith in having people on the ground, volume in the number of soldiers. In fact, some have to do the work to secure the population. I hope that in my time as commander I can carry out an army with a regiment in Finnmark and a brigade in both the north and south. And who can defend Norway at home while contributing to UN and NATO missions abroad?
22 are relevant, many only on paper
The defense commander job is not a job you are looking for. Only men or women who currently have a rank of Major General, Rear Admiral, or higher may become Chief of Defense. Today there are 22 people. But many of these have been outdated because they have a purely administrative role, only have a health history or have less than four years left until they are 60, which is normally the retirement age in this position.
Ideally, one should have a background from both the Ministry of Defense (FD), the Defense Operational Headquarters (FOH) and the field, which is called operational experience.
Kristoffersen lacks ministry experience.
