Denmark delegation visits Bliss

Photo By Lt. Col. Deanna Bague | Danish Minister of Defense Søren Gade and Brig. Gen. Jørgen Jacobsen, Danish defense attaché, walk past a group of Guardsmen from the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Gade and other members of the Danish Parliament visited Fort Bliss on March 12.  

MCGREGOR RANGE, UNITED STATES

03.05.2009

Story by Maj. Deanna Bague 

Fort Bliss Public Affairs Office

MCGREGOR RANGE, N.M. – Members of the Danish Parliament and the Armed Services Committee, along with Minister of Defense Søren Gade, visited Fort Bliss on March 12.

Gade said the visit here was the final stop for his delegation after their weeklong trip to the U.S., during which they met with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, then visited the producers of the F-18 Super Hornet and the Joint Strike Fighter, respectively.

"We are going to make a decision on the new fighter aircraft for Denmark," said Gade. "We were in the vicinity because we were in Fort Worth, and I always wanted to see Fort Bliss."

Cols. James Green, commander of the Mobilization and Deployment Brigade, and Frank Sherman, commander of the 5th Armored Brigade, met with the delegation at Westbrook Dining Facility, where mobilized Soldiers receive meals during their training cycle at the nonlethal weapons ranges. Gade said he was eager to see how troops here prepare for deployment, adding that he was open to good ideas that may arise from his observations.

"It's interesting for me to see how you train your Soldiers, because we have a similar program in Denmark," said Gade, addressing Fort Bliss leaders.

After a meal with the Soldiers, the delegation saw members of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, a Wisconsin National Guard unit that is currently conducting detainee operations training at Task Force Outlaw. Gade said he admired the men and women he saw diligently learning and practicing all measures to prepare them to perform such a challenging mission.

"Detainee [operations] is a big issue to all of us," Gade said. "We have to make sure that we treat detainees the right way. I must say I am pretty impressed [with] all the things you do here to make sure that everything is going by the book. I could see that [Soldiers] were really into their business and they really want to do it as good as possible. I can go back and I can say to my colleagues in the parliament that [Soldiers] are really doing a good job."

Gade is a former infantry officer who served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm with the Danish army prior to entering politics. He said he is aware of the sacrifices made by Soldiers like those he saw during his tour here.

"I want to pay my respects to those Soldiers down here," said Gade. "I know they are going to a tough mission in Iraq. I talked to a few of them, and I wish them all the best."

• Date Taken: 03.05.2009
• Date Posted: 03.12.2009 17:15
• Story ID: 31053
• Location: MCGREGOR RANGE, US