1:40
- ABC News
- October 30, 2018
Face of NATO military exercise is an internet hit
He's not a Viking or hipster. He's a Norwegian naval officer representing NATO.
The part-time model is taking it all in stride, telling ABC News that \"99 percent\" of the feedback has been positive.
Lasse enlisted in the Royal Norwegian Navy in 2006 after working as a full-time chef. He then went on to graduate from officer school and earn a bachelor's degree. He serves as a sports officer at NATO’s Joint Warfare Center in Stavanger, Norway where he works as a fitness instructor for recruits and teaches spin classes.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lasse Løkken Matberg (@lasselom) on Oct 22, 2018 at 12:10pm PDT
Despite his busy work schedule, Lasse has also managed to pursue a part-time modeling career, signing with a London agency in 2016.
His new gig as the face of Trident Juncture came after NATO -- hoping to reach a wider audience -- asked to use his social media following to promote the exercise and the alliance’s mission.
In Trident Juncture, about 50,000 troops from more than 30 countries come together in Norway and its surrounding seas to train for how they would respond to an enemy invasion of a European NATO ally.
Lasse emphasized the benefits that NATO allies receive by training together and praised the alliance for keeping peace in Europe for nearly 70 years.
Suited up // full #focus on the next week ????????
— lasse l. matberg (@lasselom) October 28, 2018
Taking part in #TridentJuncture 2018, #NATO’s biggest exercise in decades ??
Stay tuned! And have a great one ??????? #Forsvaret #DutyCalls #Uniform #Nato #SuitUp #Navy
??# @nato // press ®? pic.twitter.com/JMqPsJfuxV
\"I think it's great we can come together and learn about each other and get to know each other,\" he told ABC News.
But he was more humble about his role as the face of the exercise saying, \"I'm one ambassador along with 50,000 other ambassadors.\"
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Lasse Løkken Matberg (@lasselom) on Jul 1, 2018 at 12:32pm PDT
On Wednesday, Lasse will get an opportunity to work out with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg before another day of Trident Juncture festivities and, likely, more questions about his hair.
While sailors in the Norwegian Royal Navy may have any length hair, he said his braid and man bun are mandatory so that it doesn’t touch the collar of his uniform.
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