SSR are specialised in patrolling and special reconnaissance. Photo: SSR

SSR – Special Support and Reconnaissance Company is the national special unit of the Danish Home Guard. During the cold war era SSR (then known as the Patrol Company Army Operational Command) were tasked to operate as covert Long Range Surveillance Company (LRSC) in occupied Danish territories collecting tactical information for the Danish Army.

The Patrol Company Army Operational Command (now: SSR) has participated in DANEX exercises every year since 2005, as a patrolling and special reconnaissance unit tasked by the Royal Danish Navy. The SSR Company is able to insert a number of reconnaissance patrols over the beach and deep inland to locate and report on hostile activities ashore which may become a threat to naval operations.

Trained by the Danish Frogman Corps
The soldiers from SSR Company are trained and qualified by the Danish Frogman Corps (Navy Special Operations Forces) as combat swimmers together with the Danish Army Jaeger Corps (Army Special Operations Forces).

The combat swimmers from SSR are trained by the Danish Navy Special Operations Forces. Photo: SSR

The demanding combat swimmer training allows the SSR operators to be inserted over the beach and to conduct land based reconnaissance.

International missions
Even though SSR is an all-volunteer unit a large part of the soldiers have been on international missions over the last two years: 28 times soldiers from the SSR Company have been on international missions with the Danish Army in Iraq and Afghanistan, mostly as a part of the Danish Army Protection Teams (PSD) in Iraq.

Back in 2006 soldiers from SSR were among the first to receive special training by the Danish Army Special Operations Forces and to go to Iraq as military bodyguards to protect officials from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

SSR – not meant for everybody
The SSR selection course guarantees that only the best of the 50.000 volunteer Danish home guard soldiers enters the ranks of the SSR Company. The reward is unique experiences such as participating in the DANEX exercises.

Read more at the SSR website