Garrison of Sør - Varanger Garrison of Sør - Varanger ( , GSV ) is a military camp of the Norwegian Army . It is located at Høybuktmoen in Sør - Varanger Municipality in Finnmark county , Norway . The military camp sits adjacent to Kirkenes Airport , Høybuktmoen . The garrison is organized as a battalion and its main job is guard the Norway – Russia border . It consists of the Training Company ( GRKP / U ) , the Support Company ( GAKP ) and the Border Company ( GRKP ) . The garrison also has an NCO school . Service at GSV . The troops stationed at GSV mainly consists of conscripted soldiers . Most of the soldiers are men , but there is also an increasing amount of women . GSV receives about 400 new conscripts every six months . The first seven weeks of recruit training , which is standard for all military personnel in Norway . After basic training , some of the soldiers are transferred to the garrison company to work in and around the garrison to support the education of the GRKP / u , the GRKP itself and the mission - solvance of the GSV border company . The rest of the soldiers stay in the education company to become border guards . After six months , through basic training , advanced training and specialist / designated training , the soldiers are divided up and sent to one of the six border stations . The border service requires physical and mental stamina , discipline and the ability to think , decide and initiate . The service requires individuals and units to operate independently . The soldiers deployed for border service are basically trained as reconnaissance rangers . Most of the time in the education company consist of field exercise , fire drills and role specialisation . At the border , the soldiers are divided into four - man patrol teams . A typical patrol team consist of one patrol commander corporal , one communications technician , one medical specialist and one scout . Not assigned , but perfectly available for the teams are canine corporals , responsible for handling and training the patrol canines , and transportation corporals , responsible for mobility , administrative tasks and maintenance . In addition , a portion of the border guards are assigned with a dual role ; reconnaissance and operations headquarters , they also serve as regular border guards . The soldiers ' main task is to function as border guards on the Russian border , guarding not only the border to a neighbouring country , but also the European border according to the Schengen Agreement . During wartime their task is to monitor enemy advance and gather intelligence on hostile movement , most likely during covert retreat southwards in Norway . Border stations . From north to south : In addition to the border stations , the checkpoint at Storskog is the only legal crossing point between Norway and Russia . This checkpoint is manned by Eastern Finnmark Police District , the Norwegian Customs and Excise Authorities , and the Norwegian Border Commission . Treaty and sovereignty enforcement of the Norwegian border to Russia is a three - agency operation . The police district is responsible for prosecution , fines , and processing of illegal immigrants , asylum seekers , and border violations . The border commissioner is the policy - making and diplomatic department . It arranges contact and meetings with its Russian counterpart , makes agreements and rules , and is a substantial part of the diplomatic process . The garrison is responsible of military border patrol . The soldiers are granted police authority for border relations and is one of the few Norwegian law enforcement divisions carrying weapons and live ammunition on a daily basis .