'Return underwear’, Norway army tells outgoing recruits as COVID-19 pandemic hits supplies

Coronavirus pandemic has forced numerous people to take drastic measures in the last two years. But the decision taken by Norway is the next level.   

Well, we are not kidding, the recruits in the country have been told to return their underwear after completing military service as the army has been facing supply issues due to the pandemic.  

The returned underwear will be used by the next conscripts as per the plan.  

Norway, which is a NATO member, recruits around 8,000 young men and women for military service every year.  

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The country, which shares a border with Russia, till recently used to allow discharged recruits to leave barracks with the undergarments they were issued.  

The dwindling supplies during the pandemic seems to have forced the Norwegian military to ask the conscripts to hand over their underwear, which include bras and socks.  

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Although it was voluntary originally, it has been made mandatory now, public broadcaster NRK reported on Friday.  

“Now that we have chosen to reuse this part of the kit, it helps us. … We don’t have enough in stock,” the defence logistics spokesman Hans Meisingset told NRK.  

“The textiles are washed, cleaned and checked. What we distribute is in good condition,” Meisingset said.  

(With inputs from agencies)