For three weeks, troops practiced drills about 1,000 miles north of their base in Vaernes, Norway, Kit Up! reports.
Imagine walking through subzero temperatures and having your pack break. Well, that’s exactly what happened to many marines. The cold temperatures made the frames brittle, which led to disruptions in the frame. “We had to use 550 [parachute] cord and duct tape to figure it out,” Staff Sgt. Troy Hauck said.
“It was not fun,” the marine noted.
Other issues with footwear and transport rendered the marines liable to injury. The boots had a difficult time staying strapped into skis worn by the marines, creating obvious annoyances and difficulties. “When you’re putting your boots into the bindings, because the bindings are metal and the boots are old rubber, they rip a lot. So now you’re potentially causing injuries to the individual,” Staff Sgt. Nelson Acevedo explained.
When it comes to skis, the “British have the good stuff,” Acevedo added. “I wouldn’t give anybody that ski setup that we had,” he said.
Lastly, troops found that when they added more layers to keep warm, parka zippers began ripping at the seams.
“We’re going to go fix that stuff,” Maj. Gen. Neil Nelson told Military.com.
