Soldiers from the Netherlands who are in Norway for this fall’s huge NATO exercise were not issued the warm clothing they’ll need. Their military bosses reportedly forgot that winter weather can arrive in October and November, and in many areas already has.
Newspaper Aftenposten recently reported that Dutch soldiers were told late last month to go shopping for their own long underwear and other warm clothing. They will be reimbursed, however.
The error was suddenly discovered in September, when troops starting being sent to Norway for NATO’s Trident Juncture exercises that formally begin later this month. Dutch defense officials regularly send marines and special forces for winter training in Norway, and thought they’d planned for Trident Juncture down to the last detail.
The planners didn’t realize, or forgot, that autumn in the mountains of Norway can be cold, and snow has already been falling. Around 1,000 soldiers thus were told to go shopping themselves, as quickly as possible.
newsinenglish.no staff
