-It is very important to coordinate military and civilian peace operations, says General Major Berndt Grundevik, acting as chief of the Land Component Command during VIKING11. Part of the military presentation included an evaluation of where the troops were deployed and where problems had occurred.
Understanding the complexity of the situation, the Crown Princess also commented on the different perspectives given by the civilian versus the military side of the situation in Bogaland.
- We met with the Red Cross earlier. They were having difficulties getting access to the area, and were concerned with the refugee situation. A lot seemed to be going on there, but here at the military command everything seems so quiet.
- An effective Headquarters is calm and quiet, it means they have everything under control, responds retired General, Sir John Reith, who until 2007 was the former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, DSACEUR.
VIKING is truly a multi-dimensional exercise, and the diversity of the different actors is something that the Crown Princess found especially fascinating.
- All the different actors who represent countries and organizations create a very comprehensive scenario. And the fact that this is not only a military exercise, but rather a civil-military exercise with the focus on real-life cooperation makes it more interesting. That so many qualified high level personnel from both the UN and the military is participating gives good credential to the exercise.