Camp Ripley Hosts 46th Annual Troop Exchange [VIDEO]

CAMP RIPLEY -- Some troops from Norway are spending part of their February in Minnesota. Camp Ripley held their 46th annual Norway Reciprocal Troop Exchange this month.

The ten to twelve-day Partners for Peace program allows the Minnesota National Guard and the Norwegian Home Guard to experience each other’s training, military lifestyle, and culture.

Major Casey Vulcan says he’s learned a lot about operations in Norway from the program.

One thing that I’ve learned is that the Norwegian Home Guard, which is their version of the National Guard for us, is very similar to what we have here in Minnesota in our National Guard. They are a force that’s designed to help protect their home land.

The troops were put into integrated groups and participated in a number of tactical training and cultural events during the program.

Chief Sergeant Arnstein Grande says it was helpful to be fully integrated with the local guard members.

We have been embedded with them, so we have been training with them. So we have been into their platoons, into their company, and we have been bonding and learning from each other.

This past weekend the participants even got some Domestic Operations training from local law enforcement.