KJELLER, Norway -- The CJLSG represents the first-ever fully integrated joint logistics headquarters between the Norwegian Armed Forces and the U.S. Marine Corps.
U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Maura Hennigan, commanding general of 2nd Marine Logistics Group, will assume command of the CJLSG on February 27, 2026, from Brig. Gen. Nina S. Berg, commander of the Joint Logistics Support Group, in support of the live portion of exercise Cold Response 26. Berg will resume command of the CJLSG in support of the computer aided exercise scenario for the second half of the exercise
Exercise Cold Response 26, part of NATO’s enhanced vigilance activity Arctic Sentry, is a routine Norwegian-led winter military exercise in Northern Norway. U.S. forces are participating as part of U.S. government efforts to support Norwegian and NATO total defense concepts. The exercise is a significant milestone to demonstrate the readiness of a U.S. based Marine Air Ground Task Force to swiftly composite and rapidly deploy across the Atlantic, be received and supported by host nation forces, and conduct operations that enable larger NATO objectives.
Activated in mid-January, the CJLSG serves as the foundational logistics headquarters that enables successful training during exercise Cold Response 26. Within the CJLSG, U.S. Marine Corps and Norwegian Armed Forces personnel work together as a unified team, managing the complex reception, staging, and onward movement (RSOM) of all exercise equipment and personnel, as well as sustainment operations throughout the entirety of the exercise.
Integrating U.S. Marine Corps and Norwegian military personnel at the component headquarters level allows operations to happen as a single, cohesive force, enabling enhanced joint power projection. This ability to rapidly project combat power and prepare the Arctic theater for follow-on forces is a fundamental prerequisite for conducting a training evolution of this scale in an austere environment and sends a clear message of shared resolve and readiness.
Beyond the initial force projection, the CJLSG’s mission will pivot to the even more complex task of sustainment operations for a multinational force during Cold Response 26. It will serve as the logistical backbone for personnel from 12 nations, including the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. By providing a continuous flow of critical supplies, maintenance, engineering, and health services, the CJLSG enables all warfighting elements to maintain a high operational tempo and focus on their training objectives.
Click on the following link to view the feature video from the last iteration of Exercise Cold Response in 2022: .