When it comes to the relationship between America and the Nordics, nothing is a secret. The US has enjoyed healthy relations with the Nordic nations for over a century. Did you know that nearly 11 million Americans belong to a Nordic lineage? Now, Camp Lejeune Marines Join the NATO Nordic Response ’24: Exploring the Alliance of Two Military Powers.
From regional to social issues, the two practice the principles of peace and cooperation with each other. The same holds true in terms of defense ties. For instance – American troops have defended Iceland since 1951. Norway is the storehouse for US pre-positioned military equipment.
Moreover, the US and Denmark made negotiations for rotational troop deployments in 2022. President Joe Biden even attended the 3rd US-Nordics Leaders’ Summit in Finland in 2023. He has sought to renew and strengthen the bonds with the Nordic nations.
Another way the alliance stays fresh and strong as ever is the periodic hosting of winter warfare training by the Nordic defense forces. Keeping in line with tradition, The US Marines from Camp Lejeune Base joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO Nordic Response of 2024.
What is this training all about? In this article, we will answer that and explore the rich history and union of two rising military powers.
Understanding the NATO Nordic Response ’24
Now, NATO itself is a military alliance formed between 30 countries from Europe and North America. It was founded in 1949 to safeguard the freedom of its member nations through military and political means.
The NATO exercise Steadfast Defender is a record-breaking series that takes place every other year. In it, military servicemen from different countries gather at the Germany-Baltic-Poland belt for winter warfare training.
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Related: Nordic Cross Border Military Training
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Between January and March, over 20,000 soldiers from across 14 nations will participate in the training exercise. Some 10,000 will be deployed on land whereas the others will attend at sea or in the air. It is expected that the NATO Nordic Response ’24 will have 50+ frigates, submarines, and other amphibious vessels.
Moreover, there will be over 100 surveillance aircraft, transport carriers, and fighter jets. As for the terrestrial personnel, they will defend the Nordic territory using tanks, artillery systems, and tracked vehicles. Most of the main activities will take place in the northern Nordic region.
Camp Lejeune Marines Join the NATO Nordic Response ’24: Exploring the Alliance of Two Military Powers, article continues below image.
The Warfighting History of Camp Lejeune’s Expeditionary Forces
The military soldiers from Camp Lejeune are among the thousands joining from other member nations of NATO. The reason we discuss the integration of US-Nordic forces is because of the profound relations the two have shared for so long.
This is not to negate the fact that both forces are among the most powerful worldwide. As for Camp Lejeune’s expeditionary forces, they’ve had their fair share of ups and downs. With the Base established back in 1942, warfighters were geared up to train for overseas humanitarian missions.
However, a tragic mishap was lurking in the background. Between 1953 and 1987, those stationed at Camp Lejeune consumed water contaminated with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Unfortunately, thousands of soldiers (and civilians) suffered from conditions like kidney cancer, infertility, multiple myeloma, renal toxicity, neurobehavioral defects, etc.
Under the Obama administration, the victims were provided free healthcare, but President Joe Biden turned the tables completely. He officially passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) in 2022 for legal compensation.
According to TorHoerman Law, military members, National Guard members, and civilian workers were eligible to file an administrative claim. If no resolution was made within six months, they could file a lawsuit. The Camp Lejeune lawsuit is an active litigation awaiting trial.
It’s been a long road to date, but legal justice seems right around the corner. Once the trial is over and the jury verdict is given, the individual payout for Camp Lejeune will be clear.
The process of contaminant removal was a long and time-consuming one. The water only became completely safe by the end of 1987 (with polluted wells being shut down in 1982).
Since then, the North Carolina US Marine Corps Base has been operational. It continues to proudly stand as the site for major Marine Corps and US Navy commands, including amphibious units, infantry, artillery, and reconnaissance. Nearly 170,000 people occupy the property, out of which 63,000 are active military members.
The Base has been a seven-time recipient of the Commander-in-Chief’s Award for Installation Excellence.
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Related: Norwegian Researchers on Ukraine’s Astonishing Defense
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The Warfare Capabilities of Nordic Expeditionary Forces
The II MEF Commanding General, David A. Ottignon stated at the NATO Nordic Response ’24 that the US armed forces were looking forward to exercising with their Norwegian hosts. He further exclaimed that no other region (other than the Nordic countries) was good enough to sharpen warfighting skills.
This statement in itself gives us a glimpse of the warfare capabilities that Nordic forces have. With each country (within the Nordic regions) holding specific world-class competency, the prospect of a joint military force becomes promising.
Out of the four Scandinavian military powers, Sweden is the strongest from the defense viewpoint (followed by Norway, Denmark, and Finland). With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the lead researcher for the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Affairs (NUPI), Karsten Friis, believes that air defense would improve significantly.
Not only that, but the Norwegian government has decided to increase defense investment for a target GDP of 2% in 2026. Even now, the country’s defense spending is 10% above the NATO guideline.
Camp Lejeune Marines Join the NATO Nordic Response ’24: Exploring the Alliance of Two Military Powers, article continues below image.
A Time to Hone Winter Warfare Tactics and Strengthen Bonds
What’s even more interesting than the aforementioned details is the fact that 70% of Norway’s defense equipment is imported from the US. This means America holds a significant share of the country’s imports.
Now, let’s refocus our attention on the NATO Nordic Response of 2024. This exercise will be completely transparent and visible to the public. It will naturally offer Norway an opportunity to strengthen its overall defense.
As mentioned in the Treaty, the objective of conducting such an exercise is to form a solemn agreement. In other words, all participants have agreed that an armed attack against any one of them would be considered an attack against all. With the Nordic Response ’24, NATO aims to reiterate its strength and willingness to defend its territory.
In turn, the exercise will benefit the US – In case of a critical security crisis (terrorism or war), NATO becomes the country’s guarantor for safety. Preparing for adverse events in the cold Arctic climate covers all possible challenges that the military may face during an attack. It is indeed the only way to ensure steadfast support among the allies.
Thus, Camp Lejeune’s military forces will stay in the far North for another month or so till the Steadfast Defender training is complete. Meanwhile, NATO’s expansion is preparing the whole of Scandinavia for a potential war.
Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, wanted his citizens to prepare themselves with weapons. The full-blown Ukraine invasion disturbed the calculus of neutrality. Hence, the geopolitical balance is now shifting. It is believed that with new avenues for economic growth have emerged new defense vulnerabilities.
Camp Lejeune Marines Join the NATO Nordic Response ’24: Exploring the Alliance of Two Military Powers, written for Daily Scandinavian by Deepika Ravi. Deepika is a budding content creator and is passionate about art and poetry. She holds a Bachelor’s in Literature from the University of Calcutta. With humble beginnings as a junior writer, Deepika climbed up to the ranks of editor and content manager. Currently, she’s writes as a freelancer and enjoys learning about different brands, their audiences, and how relevant content brings them together.
Feature image (on top): © Unsplash, Marek Studzinski