Joint departments
Several joint departments serve the Norwegian Armed Forces in various ways. The departments have different tasks and expertise, and operate all over the country.
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The Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation ensures that the Armed Forces' equipment is available, up to date and working properly. The organisation maintains, supplies and modernises all the materiel in the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Through efficient logistics and solutions, the organisation makes sure that the Armed Forces can respond quickly and endure long periods of time.
The department also provides Norwegian soldiers with everything from woollen underwear to advanced weapons.
The best technicians in Norway work for the Logistics Organisation in order to maintain some of Europe's most advanced defence equipment. The organisation's employees also developed the well-known Norwegian field boot, and they have taken part in developing the high-tech helmet that our F-35 fighter pilots use.
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The Joint Medical Service is the central organisation responsible for medical matters in the Norwegian Armed Forces. It also represents the Armed Forces' most important contribution to the development and maintenance of a first class medical service in peacetime as in time of crisis or war, both nationally and internationally.
It contributes to and manages the further development of medical and veterinary services in the Norwegian Armed Forces and is the force producer when medical elements are required for operations at home or abroad.
The Joint Medical Service is active in developing the professional field of military medicine in such areas as organisation, materiel, personnel and procedures both within NATO and in the context of Norway's total defence. It undertakes research in many areas including traumatology, aviation medicine, naval medicine and disaster psychiatry.
It is based at Camp Sessvollmoen, north of Oslo.
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The Centre is the Armed Forces' personnel centre. It manages conscription in the Norwegian Armed Forces, including the process of selecting and distributing personnel for the initial service. It also manages military refresher training and mobilisation.
The Centre handles salaries and payments in the Norwegian Armed Forces. It is also in charge of producing the Armed Forces' payroll accounting.
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The Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Support Services solve various tasks, ranging from music and museums, to accounting and veterans' matters. It has a staff and several subdivisions:
- Department for regulations and documentation management
- Financial Centre
- Security Department
- Norwegian Armed Forces Communication
- Veterans' Affairs Division, the Defence Museums
- Defence Music and Bands
- Faith and Philosophy Corps
- Soldiers' representative Group
- The independent news magazine Forsvarets Forum
It also includes the Oslo Garrison Management, and the Armed Forces Commander Cabinets. These units manage the Norwegian Armed Forces' fortress commanders, museums, military bands, and the veterans' centre.
Read more about some of the divisions in the Joint Services Department:
The Norwegian Armed Forces Communication
The Norwegian Armed Forces Communication (FKOM) is responsible for the long-term development of reputation, market, and communication centrally in the Norwegian Armed Forces. The department works for the entire force and engages in extensive collaboration across military branches, the defence sector, and with NATO.
FKOM has around 50 employees and three divisions:
- The Stratcom and Analysis Division works with strategic communication, exercises, and operations. The division conducts citizen surveys, employee surveys, youth surveys, conscription and education surveys, as well as media and communication analyses.
- The Market and Society Division deals with market and societal communication, reputation and branding, employer attractiveness, and recruitment. The division is responsible for the Armed Forces's main digital channels, the news desk, and design.
- The Content and Production Division specialises in user insights, storytelling, media productions, and content development. The division develops the award-winning podcasts Våre historier ('Our Stories) and Forsvarspodden ('The Defence Pod'), and is responsible for major film productions and photography for both own and external channels.
Divisions within Military Culture and Traditions
This section consists of: Oslo Garrison Management, the Regulatory Unit, the Defence Museums, the Defence Music and Bands, and the Armed Forces Commander Cabinets. These units manage the Norwegian Armed Forces' fortress commanders, museums, military bands, and the veterans' centre.
Seven museums, eight fortress commanders and five military music bands constitute the cultural base in the Norwegian Armed Forces. In addition, the veterans' centre Bæreia 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Oslo, offers recreation and courses. It also serves as a connecting point for Norwegian veterans and their families.
The Norwegian Armed Forces Security Department
The Security Department has the overall responsibility for creating and exercising a preventive security service in the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Department ensures that the activities of the Armed Forces are organised and conducted in accordance with the requirements determined in the Norwegian Security Act.
The department keeps an overview of current security picture and risks that surround the Norwegian Armed Forces, as well as of Norwegian military activity both in Norway and abroad. The department is the central clearance and authorisation authority for personnel in the Defence Sector, and provides preventive and operational security services.
The Norwegian Armed Forces Faith and Philosophy Corps
The Faith and Philosophy Corps is in charge of the field chaplain service and faith and philosophy services in the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Corps employs around 55 Christian military chaplains, 1 Muslim imam and secular humanism philosophers. They serve in all the branches of the Armed Forces. The ministers conduct Christian services, baptisms, marriages, and funerals. The imam handles and serves the religious needs of Muslims in the armed forces, while the field philosopher handles the needs of non-religious personnel.
The Norwegian Armed Forces Financial Centre
The Financial Centre provides financial services to the entire Norwegian Armed Forces and accounting services to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency. The centre has offices in Bergen and Bardufoss.
The Norwegian Veterans' Affairs Division
The Veterans' Division provides advice and information on questions and issues regarding medals, decorations and military veterans from international operations.
Forsvarets forum English: The Defence's Forum
Forum is a journalistic independent media company within the Norwegian Armed Forces. It runs a news website and publishes the magazine F – Forsvarets forum six times per year. Forum provides free and independent information about the Armed Forces and their activities. Tha magazine has a circulation of about 65,000 copies.
