Norway’s military representative says the government’s “historic” defence buildup is not reflected in conscripts’ everyday experience. While billions are being invested in submarines, frigates and fighter aircraft, soldiers are reportedly being called up before sufficient beds, weapons and supervisors are available—and receive less training than they need. Representative Julie Buaas Male warns that the gap between leadership’s ambitions and conditions on the ground is leaving soldiers ill-prepared for war and excluded from decisions whose consequences they must endure.

At the same time as the Armed Forces are investing in submarines, frigates and fighter jets, they are also calling up soldiers for initial service before they have enough beds, weapons and officers to follow them up. In addition, there is far less training and rehearsal than the soldiers need. (…) Decisions and plans are made over the soldiers’ heads. Nevertheless, they are the ones who are feeling the cost of the austerity measures and the large investments. TVO experiences that a lack of dialogue creates frustration, in addition, the soldiers experience that their reality and the consequences of the priorities are dismissed by the military and political leadership.

Read the entire commentary in Forsvarets forum