Island Command Greenland

Island Command Greenland (), or simply "GLK", was a Level II authority responsible directly to the Defence Command. It was, among other things, responsible for the military defense of Greenland, maritime and sovereignty maintenance and enforcement, as well as search and rescue. Personnel assigned to the Danish liaison office at Thule Air Base (FOTAB) as well as the Sirius Patrol () were also a part of the Greenland Command. Island Command Greenland was amalgamated with Island Command Faroes to a Joint Arctic Command on 31 October 2012.The Queen opened the Arctic Command Ritzau, October 31st, 2012

It also functioned as NATO's Island Commander Greenland, formerly part of Allied Command Atlantic. ACLANT became Allied Command Transformation in 2003, and since then it was not clear exactly how the command now fits into the NATO Military Command Structure.

History The Danish military can trace its activities in Greenland back to the time of Hans Egede. From the late 18th century up to World War II, personnel from the Danish military contributed very actively to the exploration of Greenland, by land, sea and air.

After the Second World War fishing inspections and sea measuring began again and the first dedicated Greenland command was established, called the "Greenland Maritime Command", located at Nuuk (). On August 1, 1951, it changed name to the "Island Command Greenland", while simultaneously moving from Nuuk to the Naval base at Kangilinnguit (), where it has been ever since.

Civilian duties Under the stipulations of several international treaties, Denmark has agreed to keep and maintain a SAR (Search And Rescue) response organization in the Greenlandic area of responsibility. This organization was administered by the Greenland Command. The organization was divided into three sections, Land, Maritime, and Air, in order to simplify the command structure, which is absolutely vital on SAR operations.

The Greenland Command is authorized to request additional support from naval vessels, police cutters, the Royal Danish Air Force, civilian ships, aircraft from Air Greenland, and US or Icelandic SAR units based in Iceland if need be.

Currently there are about 150 total civilian and military employees employed by the command, from both Danish and Greenlandic descent.

Commanders Portrait Name(born-died) Term of office Took office Left office Time in office 1 Counter Admiral 1 August 1951 9 August 1955 2 Counter AdmiralHans Børge Larsen 1 October 1955 15 October 1957 3 Counter AdmiralJohannes H. J. Jegstrup 15 October 1957 15 February 1959 4 Counter AdmiralAxel Schmidt 15 February 1959 1 April 1962 5 Counter Admiral 1 April 1962 1 April 1965 6 Counter AdmiralHans-Henrik O. Wesche 1 August 1965 1 April 1968 7 Counter AdmiralEigil Christian Franch Petersen 1 April 1968 31 Maj 1973 8 Counter AdmiralHenning Leonard Prause 1 June 1973 15 June 1977 9 Counter AdmiralHans Erik Hansen 15 June 1977 19 September 1979 10 Counter Admiral 19 September 1979 31 March 1983 11 Counter AdmiralPoul Erik Pedersen 1 April 1983 30 November 1986 12 Counter AdmiralWilhelm Lauge Grentzmann 1 December 1986 31 August 1991 13 Counter AdmiralPoul Birger Nielsen 1 September 1991 28 February 1994 14 Counter AdmiralNiels Helk 1 March 1994 30 June 1996 15 Counter AdmiralErik Fage-Pedersen 1 July 1996 30 September 1997 16 Counter AdmiralSteen Vestergaard Andersen 1 October 1997 31 August 1999 17 Counter AdmiralAxel Fiedler 1 September 1999 30 April 2001 18 Counter AdmiralKnud Erik Kristiansen 1 May 2001 28 July 2003 19 Counter AdmiralUffe Haagen Olsen 29 July 2003 31 December 2005 20 Counter AdmiralNiels Erik Sørensen 1 January 2006 31 July 2007 21 Counter AdmiralHenrik Bunde Kudsk 1 August 2007 31 October 2012

Winter in Grønnedal Grønlands Kommando - official Greenland Command site (Danish) DPC - For researchers - Logistics - Grønnedal - Danish Polar Centre (English)

Island Command Greenland

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