Guns and ammo are not a problem, but it seems that the Norway military is facing a bit of an underwear shortage. So much so that conscripts are being asked to return their used undergarments upon the completion of their service!
In Norway, where military service is required of men and women, the order applies to bras as well and also includes socks!
The Norwegian military said earlier this month that it is struggling with dwindling supplies, in part due to the COVID pandemic.
The Norwegian Defense Logistics Organization said because of “a challenging stockpile situation, this move is necessary as it provides the Armed Forces with greater garment volumes available for new soldiers starting their initial service.”
The Department’s press spokesman, Hans Meisingset, said that with “proper checks and cleaning, the reuse of garments is considered an adequate and sound practice.”
Until recently, the roughly 8,000 young men and women who every year do their military service returned their outer clothing but were allowed to leave barracks with the underwear and socks they were issued.
Some degree of military service is mandatory for both men and women in Norway and lasts between 12 and 19 months. Meisingset said the pandemic was not the only reason why the stock of garments is low for some items. It also depends on finance, contracts, and other issues.
NATO-member Norway’s national defense magazine, Forsvarets Forum, reported that it was not the first time that the Armed Forces had struggled with such shortcomings, with a union spokesman saying it “has been a recurring problem” for years. In June 2020, a third of the soldiers’ clothing and equipment went missing.
“A year ago, we looked at exactly the same shortcomings in close-fitting clothing that we see now, and earlier this autumn, the largest and smallest sizes of footwear were missing,” Eirik Sjoehelle Eiksund was quoted as saying, adding that he believed it was due to errors in the system around ordering and delivery.
Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the pictures on this blog loading?
I’m trying to figure out if its a problem on my
end or if it’s the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.