Swedish army underpants are MIA

BBC News ^ | Sunday, 9 May, 2004

[new cruelty]

Swedish soldiers are so attached to their military-issue green camouflage underpants that 3,199 pairs of them went missing last year. The garments topped the list of items that recruits failed to account for when the army does its inventory.

The next most-pilfered article was the olive-coloured military bath towel, of which 2,400 disappeared, said the army in-house newspaper Vaernpliktsnytt.

Military service is compulsory for men aged 18 to 24 in Sweden.

More than 15,500 new recruits are inducted into the Swedish army every year, typically serving between eight and 15 months as conscripts.

Each new soldier is issued with military clothing free of charge - including the underpants, which cost the army 16 kroner ($2) per pair.

Army officials said they had no idea why so many pairs of underpants went missing in action, but possible explanations included theft, loss and general wear and tear.

[new cruelty]

Find the wmds and you'll find the missing underpants as well... just a hunch.

[DesertDreamer]

I would have guessed that the Swedish military would be Rambo-style.

[paleocon patriarch]

Swedish Army goes Commando

[Stonewall Jackson]

Back in April, 1940, just days after Germany invaded Denmark and Norway, the Swedish military took a close look at their stockpiles of anti-aircraft ammunition and discovered that they only had enough rounds for one day of combat. It looks like their supply chain is still having problems.

[Larry Lucido]

Hmm. You'd think this thing would have a pair of underpants in it.

[new cruelty]

From the sound of it, the Swedish army officials were not properly briefed.

:)

[new cruelty]

Um, that is a Swiss Army knife, no?

[Charles Henrickson]

Hej! to the Swedish Ping List.

[new cruelty]

Interesting story.

[nunya bidness]

You can't make this stuff up. Serendipity baby!

[Trajan88]

Watch out for them Swedes... if they're keeping their underpants they're probably pilfering the hotel towels too... http://www.prankplace.com/buttface.html

Trajan88

[Senator Pardek]

No, you can't. Ya never know what's working for ya!!!

[SledgeCS]

OK, my first thought is why do you really need to have camouflaged underwear.

SledgeCS

[Rebelbase]

Hillary stole them for a tax write-off.

[michaelt]

It's the Underpants Gnomes!

[new cruelty]

After all we have seen in the past week and you still have to ask? ;)

[The_Media_never_lie]

If you want a clue about the missing underware, ask the Norwegians about their "Sweet" neighbors.

[cryptical]

1. Steal underpants

2. ???

3. Profit!

[Askel5]

Oh my ...

Assuming I get embroiled in further undiescussions, I'll be sure to point out Sweden gives its men free BVDs.

Too funny.