The Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) announce that Commodore Trond Gimmingsrud has been appointed Rear Admiral in the Norwegian Navy and new Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces Special Operations Forces.
"It is an incredibly exciting role, as the special forces are constantly evolving, and the same applies to cooperation with the rest of the armed forces and our closest allies. I look forward to helping shape the way ahead together with all the skilled and dedicated people working in the organisation," says Gimmingsrud in a press release from the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Gimmingsrud comes from the position of acting Chief of Operations Management at the country's Defence Staff. He has previously served as Commander of both the Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commando and the Navy.
In the press release, the country's Supreme Commander Eirik Kristoffersen comments on the appointment:
"Trond Gimmingsrud has both the experience and the personal qualities required to lead the special forces forward. I am grateful that he is the one taking on the task of commanding our highly capable special forces," he says.
Gimmingsrud was educated at the Norwegian Naval Academy and holds a master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, United States. He has also studied at the Royal College of Defence Studies in the United Kingdom and has served on numerous occasions in international operations, according to the press release.
The appointment took place on Tuesday 12 May, and the position is a fixed-term appointment of six years. Trond Gimmingsrud succeeds Major General Joar Eidheim, who previously held the position of Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces Special Operations Forces.