In its latest half-year report, the Conscription Council sounds the alarm that the Attackkänga 5.11 gives conscripts foot problems. The military health services at the units testify to nail fungus, athlete's foot, and overloads in the feet.
At the majority of the military health services where we have discussed the boot, they have pointed out that it has a narrower fit. They have received an increased number of conscripts with these foot problems, says Ella Bjurhager, member of the Conscription Council.
Furthermore, the boot lets in moisture. Many conscripts describe it as a barracks boot – it works well for indoor service, but not in the field.
Acute shortage
In 2023, there was an acute shortage of the regular M90 boot at the same time as the conscript cohorts grew. To quickly solve the problem, they needed a boot that was available in large quantities and could be purchased directly. Ella Bjurhager says that the Defence Forces' logistics department knows that there are problems with the boot.
They are well aware that it was underspecified when they ordered it and it has not undergone any testing.
The issue of personal equipment is far from new. As early as 2019, the Conscription Council flagged up deficiencies, which mainly concerned underwear for women, hearing protection, and safety glasses. In the autumn of 2023, they sounded the alarm again, among other things, about the lack of waterproof boots.
It is unacceptable and embarrassing that the Defence Forces conscript young people and then cannot provide the most basic equipment, Ella Bjurhager believes.
Driving on
This year, 8,500 young people will be called up for military basic training. The Conscription Council is now pushing for the next conscript cohort to get other boots, and Ella Bjurhager has high hopes that it will happen.
The logistics department has received the information. So now we hope they will act on it.
In May 2023, the army announced that it was cancelling repetition exercises for 1,400 people due to a lack of equipment such as boots and rain gear.
In August of the same year, a directive was issued urging employees to return personal equipment such as boots, rain gear, shell jackets, and thermoses so that there would be equipment available for conscripts and officer cadets who were called up.
The same autumn, the Conscription Council sounded the alarm about a lack of, among other things, waterproof boots for conscripts.
