Swedish military bras burst, melt during 'rigorous exercise'

The Register ^ | 23 September 2009 | Lewis Page

[Fractal Trader]

The Swedish armed forces have been hit by a major equipment problem, according to reports. Flimsy military brassieres are unable to stand up to the strains imposed when female Swedish troops perform "rigorous exercises", routinely bursting open or even catching fire - so forcing busty young conscripts to hurriedly strip off in the field.

The revelations come courtesy of the Gothenburg Post and English-language Swedish journal The Local. The Post reported yesterday on concerns raised by the Swedish Conscription Council, an organisation concerned with the rights of conscript troops in the Swedish forces.

Council spokesperson Paulina Rehbinder told The Local that government-issue military brassieres supplied to young female soldiers have long been unfit for combat.

According to the paper:

The women complained that the bras’ fasteners have a tendency to come undone when the women performed rigorous exercise, forcing the female soldiers to take off all of their equipment in order to refasten the brassieres.

The Post apparently brought the related bosom-combustion issue to light, noting that bras can catch fire during combat and then "melt onto conscripts’ skin".

“Our opinion is that the Swedish Armed Forces should have ordered good, flame-proof underwear,” Rehbinder said.

“There should be suitable apparel for women.”

Rehbinder reportedly added that the problems have persisted for twenty years, with generations of young Swedish womens' tophamper routinely breaking free of confinement to oscillate wildly during army PT sessions and field exercises - presumably often followed by impromptu stripteases as the more jubtabulously fortunate female troops sought to re-fasten their flimsy government lingerie.

[Lady Jag]

Oh, the horrors!

[colorado tanker]

What the heck do they do in the Swedish military that would catch underwear on fire??? I was never issued “flameproof” underwear and I was in tanks.

[Eaker]

Jubtabulousity?

[SIDENET]

Giggety giggety...

[Slings and Arrows]

"Bork bork bork!"

[Slings and Arrows]

Got milk?

[AFPhys]

Rehbinder reportedly added that the problems have persisted for twenty years, with generations of young Swedish womens' tophamper routinely breaking free of confinement to oscillate wildly during army PT sessions and field exercises - presumably often followed by impromptu stripteases as the more jubtabulously fortunate female troops sought to re-fasten their flimsy government lingerie.

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You tankers weren't issued flameproof underwear? Heck- When Reagan was President, pilots were issued nomex long johns! I still have a usable set.

I have a set for my tophamper as well as my jutabulous lower equipment.

Reagan made sure that pilots, at least, had the best!

[kalee]

roflol ping

[AFPhys]

True note: underwear has melted onto skin in aircraft fires, even when nomex was worn over it. It results in 3rd degree burns where the damage may have been only 1st degree.

Whether the Swedish women faced such threats and such injuries were inflicted, I have no knowledge.

Perhaps the reasoning of the military underwear engineers is that the best way to avoid massive melting onto the skin is to create flimsy brassieres with less material, and to accept the consequences of the occasional equipment failure as in the best interests of all the troops. In addition, such an approach reduces the additional equipment weight a heavier garment would impose, so the troops can carry an extra grenade or two.

Yeah- that’s probably it...

As for the garments actually catching fire- I suspect that is much more likely in bed than in the field, and some gals told a bit of a mistruth about their locations and activities when asked how it caught fire.

[colorado tanker]

Now that I think about it the article just said "military" so it may be they were really talking about air force folks who, like you, would be issued fire retardant duds. Still, how often do you have avfuel fires in a peacetime, neutral air force???

Like you, the bursting into flame part of the story doesn't pass the smell test without more information.

In fact, the thought did occur to me that the Swedish blog may have picked it up from some Swedish equivalent of the Onion or Scrappleface and didn't get the joke.

[colorado tanker]

underwear has melted onto skin in aircraft fires, even when nomex was worn over it

Beware of polyester underwear!

[AFPhys]

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the Jubtaboulous you grabe.

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You deserve a Svedish reward for that!

[allmendream]

Awww. Thanks.

Glad people liked my poetic contribution!

:)

It seemed apt considering it was a made up word that sounded EXACTLY like what it meant!

[colorado tanker]

Wow, she must be Jubtaboulous under all that gear. :-))

[colorado tanker]

Spankentruppen alert!

[grey_whiskers]

OH THE HUGEMAMMARY!

Cheers!

[Niteflyr]

OH THE HUGEMAMMARY!

I almost spit out my wine over ...er....those...:o)

[The Cajun]

After 10 minutes or so I looked at her face, she sames to be pi$$ed.

[justlurking]

Wow, even under all that, she still looks cute.

[Daffynition]

There is a way to fix these things.

Without duct tape or WD-40, even.