MFO - Multinational Force and Observers

MAJOR GENERAL KJELL NARVE LUDVIGSEN

Major General Kjell Narve Ludvigsen was born on 26 March 1947 in Fredrikstad, Norway. He enrolled in the Army on 12 July 1965 and started his military training at the Combat Engineer NCO/OCS at Havalsmoen Camp, South Norway. He graduated on 3 July 1966 and was promoted to Sergeant. In 1967 he was promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant and from 1967 to 1970 he was an Officer Cadet at the Norwegian Military Academy (Army) in Oslo.

Upon graduation from the Military Academy in 1970 he was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant and qualified as a 'free fall jumper' in the Norwegian Parachute Regiment. Subsequently, he was assigned to the Combat Engineer Company/Brigade South as Platoon Leader and later as the Executive Officer. In 1975 he was promoted to Captain while studying at the Norwegian Institute of Technology (University of Trondheim), where he attained a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Civil Engineering. In 1981 he was promoted to Major and posted as Chief Instructor at the Army's Engineering School and in 1982 he was assigned as the Commanding Officer, Combat Engineer NCO/OCS. In 1983/84 he attended US Army Command and General Staff College (Fort Leavenworth, Kansas).

In 1985 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to the 6^th Infantry Division HQ at Harstad, North Norway. During his tour of duty he served 2 years as the ACOS/LOG (G-4) and then 2 years as the ACOS/OPS (G-3). In 1989 he was promoted to Colonel and assigned as Commander 12^th Independent Armor Reinforced Infantry Brigade. In 1991 he attended NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy.

From March 1992 to April 1993 he temporarily served with UN forces in South Lebanon as the ACOS/G-1 at HQ UNIFIL. Additionally, he was the Norwegian Contingent Commander in UNIFIL. From April 1994 to August 1997 was based in England as Chief of Operations and Plans Branch in the Operations and Logistics Division at the NATO HQs - Headquarters Allied Forces North West Europe. In late 1995 he twice led international teams in Boznia Herzegovina to facilitate NATO operations. In spring of 1997 he served 4 months as Commander Sarajevo Detachment at SFORSC.

In 1997 he was promoted to Brigadier General and assigned as Chief of Staff in the joint HQ in Bodø, Defense Command North Norway. On 15 March, 1999 he was promoted to Major General and assigned as Commanding General Land Command Troendelag. In 2001 he was assigned to be the first Commanding General of the new Regional Headquarters South Norway. In 2005 he was appointed Commander Land Forces Norway at the National Joint Headquarters in Stavanger. Among the many prestigious decorations awarded Major General Ludvigsen, are the Norwegian Home Guard Medal of Merit, the Norwegian Defense Medal and the Norwegian Defense Medal for International Operations.

Major General Ludvigsen assumed command on 1 March 2007 of the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Desert of the Arab Republic of Egypt. He is accompanied by his wife Herdis Gabrielsen; their two daughters reside in Norway.