Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) has revealed more than 70 cases in which Norwegian Defense Force officers have been the subject of serious complaints, but often avoids the consequences. Those who have the courage to whistle everything from harassment to law violations can feel ignored or the punishment is not a crime. Currently, Secretary of Defense Eirik Christophersen has promised a thorough review.
At least 17 of the complaints relate to people in Christoffersen’s own top leadership circle.He admitted to NRK on the national news program Dagsrevyen The revelation has already damaged the reputation of the Norwegian army.
“We will now investigate all cases and look again at the cases that have appeared in the media,” Christophersen told NRK. “The most serious ones clearly show completely unacceptable behavior.”
This includes one case secretly taken by an officer A female colleague taking a shower and another colleague who attacked a police officer after a drunken naval officer quarreled at a bar. He was arrested and imprisoned, but was allowed to return to duty on a naval vessel shortly after his release. He also ordered the ship’s crew not to reveal why the ship was delayed in participating in ongoing fleet exercises.
In another case reported by NRK, a female officer from northern Norway talked about how one of her bosses attended a party, drank alcohol, and then ran off the road while driving drunk at a party she hosted. I spoke openly on the camera. He pressured both her and her other colleagues to lie to police who might ask them about the incident in order to cover up his drinking and actual whereabouts. She refused because he was her boss and overcame her two-year employment insecurity.
An officer with a major rank was convicted of both drunk driving and attempting to put pressure on his men and was sentenced to imprisonment. His complaint failed and he was sentenced to jail. Nevertheless, he was initially allowed to return to his important position at the Baldufoss military base. He was later transferred to another base, but was eventually allowed to retain his rank and security clearance. She also relocated her, and she feels she has been forced to leave Bardufoss ever since.
See NRK’s full description of her trials here (external link, Norwegian)..
Some points ukultur Within the (rotten culture) army, senior officials feel the right to break the rules and then ask their subordinates to back them up. Subordinates are often exposed to completely different norms. The NRK revelation occurs at a particularly sensitive time, when the integrity of the Norwegian Defense Force is particularly important, given the attention-grabbing role they play as part of NATO after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Other than that, military and defense needs are receiving more support than they have received over the years.
Jens Jalen, non-commissioned officer and leader of the Norwegian Defense Forces for non-commissioned officers (Befalets Fellesorganisasjon), Point out a disturbing tendency. “When a complaint is filed against a low-ranked person, we find that the (bad behavior) results are very fast,” Jahren told the NRK. For higher ranked people. “
Jarren suspects the influence of a sense of fraternity among senior officials. They are trained to back up each other, and even if support is not guaranteed, it can be difficult not to do so.
Complaints are rising
The NRK reported that in recent years, Norwegian military whistleblowers have reported 100 to 300 complaints each year. The number of cases enrolled through various zuryō channels is increasing. Kristoffersen said the Pentagon will consider the measures taken and whether they are consistent with the crimes committed, and the resolution of these cases will draw new attention.
Christophersen, a highly respected four-star general with active records in Afghanistan and other conflict-prone areas, told the military, “Doing a good job every day to ensure our defense. He emphasized that there are many very talented people. ” These are the same people who go to battle as needed, so that we can’t have an inner enemy and some individuals ruin things for everyone else. .. “
He is worried that the increase in whistleblowers may indicate the number of people who did not dare to ask the authorities directly. “That’s why we have these complaint channels that go beyond what we call a” chain of command “or deal with your direct supervisor,” he said. That’s the way he wanted to reveal a serious crime.
Kristoffersen has promised a “massive review” of how things have been treated within the defense sector. “It’s my responsibility to get rid of this,” he told the NRK.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
