Former defense chief Sigurd Frisvold is dead – NRK Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
Sigurd Frisvold (1947 – 2022) fell asleep quietly after a short illness. The family confirms this to NRK.
He leaves behind a grown child and a grandchild.
Frisvold led the Norwegian Armed Forces through a very significant period.
The Long War
It started abruptly in April 1999, when he took over from Arne Solli. Norwegian forces had just been sent to take part in the NATO intervention in Kosovo.
A couple of years later, two planes hit the Twin Towers in New York.
– I was at the NATO chiefs of defense meeting, and traveled from Italy to Budapest. I sat on the bus, and all the phones started ringing, Frisvold recalled to NRK in 2021.
– The Americans went to their place, and the rest of us had a small meeting. Nothing came of it, but I thought that here something would also happen for Norway.
From the turn of the year 2001/2002, Norwegian strings were already involved in removing the Taliban from power in Afghanistan.
Over the next 20 years, 7,000 Norwegians were to participate in the war. 10 of them lost their lives.
At the same time as the war in Afghanistan, the Armed Forces were completely reorganized.
Departments and camps were closed down. A separate body for military logistics called the regional support function was also created.
On 1 April 2005, Frisvold resigned on his own initiative, after having been on sick leave several times in the previous months.
Frisvold believed he had to resign as a result of the massive budget deficit in the Armed Forces, which was NOK 950 million.
Good mood
The former defense chief had many serious matters on the table throughout his career. Still, he said in an interview with The daily newspaper in 2003 that he could let himself go.
– I am a happy salmon in a company context. Occasionally a slightly too happy salmon. Over the years, I have had a tendency to arrive early and leave late, Frisvold said.
Frisvold also had a clear conscience about one of his most important decisions.
In an NRK interview together with four other defense chiefs conducted in autumn 2021, Frisvold said that he believed the decision to send forces to Afghanistan was still correct.
– I think it was not in vain, said Frisvold.
At the same time, he expressed his support for the decision to withdraw forces in August 2021.