U.S. service members, NATO partner forces conduct Norwegian Foot March at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania

PABRADĖ, Lithuania – Over 50 U.S. service members and NATO partner forces took on a Norwegian Foot March challenge the morning of May 26 at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania.

The event, which consisted of 11 laps around the base totaling 18.6 miles, was an opportunity for participants to challenge themselves physically and mentally while also building relationships among NATO allies.

Participants were required to make the trek while carrying a rucksack weighing at least 24.25 pounds, and had to traverse the distance within set time parameters according to their age and gender.

Soldiers who complete a Norwegian Foot March earn the Military Marching Badge, a foreign military proficiency award, and are authorized to wear it on their dress uniforms. Different tiers of the badge are available for those who complete a Norwegian Foot March more than once.

Spc. Rosario Cundari, who has now completed two of the marches, believes that completing a challenge like this comes down to mental fortitude. “Put one foot in front of the other, head up, and just know that ‘I can’t be a quitter,’” he said. “You get to see what people are made of in a tough situation. When they’re at their worst and you’re at your worst, what can we do to get through this?”

Among those taking part in the march were U.S. Soldiers and Marines, as well as service members from the Lithuanian and German armed forces. Members of the Norwegian Army were also present to help coordinate the event and to assist in handing out water along the course.

Staff Sgt. Tommie Berry, a public affairs specialist assigned to the 196th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, indicated that events such as the march provide an opportunity to strengthen relationships and interoperability between partner forces. “During an event like this, when we have our allied partners around, it brings out the human side of it,” said Berry. “We all had a point where we needed a little bit of extra motivation. I was passing guys or guys were passing me, and no matter what uniform they had on, I was like, ‘we’re all in this thing together.’ It felt great to see that everybody was doing it, it kind of built morale.”

Ruck marches like the Norwegian Foot March are training exercises consisting of hikes over long distances and varied terrain with a weighted backpack that are meant to test Soldiers’ fitness, endurance, and mental resilience.

Specialist Isak, a soldier assigned to Multinational Battle Group Lithuania, 45th Panzer Brigade in the Norwegian army, says that the Norwegian Foot March stems from the service’s history. “Now it’s more of a tradition that we like to do, especially with our allied forces, something cool so it’s not just normal PT,” said Isak. “It dates back to 1915, to the Norwegian light infantry, the platoons we had before we got any vehicles, and I think that’s the same for almost every army in the world. You always started back on foot. It’s the basic soldier skills.”

Pabradė Training Area hosts numerous allies for training purposes, including U.S. troops assigned to U.S. Army V Corps subordinate commands. The multinational site allows the U.S. and NATO partners to participate in exercises to exchange knowledge and enhance cooperation between nations.

V Corps is the U.S. Army's only forward-deployed corps, serving as the senior tactical headquarters for Army forces in Eastern Europe to deter conflict and provide combat-ready forces alongside our NATO allies. V Corps is operationalizing and expanding the Eastern Flank Deterrence Line with Allies, rapidly integrating emerging technologies into training and tactical plans.