Medal ceremony in Sweden
My medal read: “For International Achievements”, in capital letters. And at the back: “OUP Libya, 2011”. I received my Army bling by the Supreme Commander, Sverker Göransson, in a ceremony at the Air Force base in Northern Sweden last week. Göransson is a four star General, which is the highest military officer in the country. Only the King of Sweden share the same rank.
I’ve been part of writing Swedish military history with Operation Unified Protector, which ended on 31 October. Historical since our pilots has flown in an International mission for the first time since Congo in the 1960s.
All together, psyops supported the mission with over 12 million leaflets dropped over Libya, as well as radio messages. Psychological operations in this respect, is a means to end a conflict without using weapons. It has also been called Psychological warfare. Probably since carefully crafted words can be viewed as ammunition... especially if they are fired off at analyzed targets (groups of people) to influence their behaviour.
If there is one thing I've realised since joining the Army, it is that the conflicts of the world today are too complex to think you've ever got the full picture to take a stand on what is right and wrong, good or bad. The more involved you get, the more often your mind will change standpoint - if it is so inclined.
Apart from picking up several bottles of wine and some ceramics, I also picked up the Italian flu on my back to Sweden. As a result, I’ve been spending my one-week holiday laid up in bed with a fever and sore throat. I also haven’t seen the sun for over a week, so I sense a challenge in keeping my energy levels up from now until March... Sweden is tough this time of year.
Well, at least I’m healthy enough to be back at work again. A new course is starting on Monday and over the next five weeks I'll be studying for a new driver's licence - for a heavy truck. Yes, I will be learning how to drive a truck. A big Swedish truck.
As I am starting to realise, life in the Army is very practical and the constant training is getting exhausting. By now, I was hoping to finish the Creative studio and start delivering some Swedish media projects. However, someone has decided I’m getting trained for bigger and better deals. The question is – am I up for it?
The Northern Swedish forest in midnight sun above has been taken at the Treehotel - more.
