US Marines' boots failed during Arctic NATO exercise

newsSep 17, 202632254

Several U.S. Marines’ boots began failing during pre-exercise training for Cold Response 2026 in Norway, with holes developing in the leather and soles separating so freezing water seeped in as Marines hiked and skied, a Pentagon official and military records told Newsweek. The failures affected troops deployed above the Arctic Circle from II Marine Expeditionary Force, about 3,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, taking part in the Norwegian-led NATO exercise involving more than 25,000 personnel (with more than 7,000 in Finland). Some Marines were pulled off ice-slick training grounds after soles peeled away, heel cups wore through linings, eyelets loosened, or rigid plastic heels dug into tendons, the anonymous Pentagon official said. The Norwegian military and U.S. forces sourced replacements locally, including Alfa M77 boots from Norway, and some replacement pairs were bought in nearby stores while a U.S. resupply ship was reloaded and rerouted with more American-made boots. The episode has prompted gear inspections and one-for-one replacements and has renewed questions about U.S. procurement rules that generally require Pentagon-funded boots to be made in the United States, a policy critics say can force service members into lower-quality domestic models. Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Stahl of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa provided a joint statement to Newsweek about the response and replacements; Pentagon officials described the problems as "enormous."

Morgan Fairchild

@morgfair.bsky.social

Pentagon details ‘enormous’ problems as Marines' boots fall apart in the Arctic www.rawstory.com/pentagon-267...

12822d ago

Curt6

They were made by the pool guy.

Otis Redfoot3

Remember about 5 years ago how we laughed at those corrupt Russians that stole money from the military so all their equipment was falling apart in the first week or they were using WW2 surplus. Now look at this with our nearly Trillion Dollar budget.

I AM DAD2

**insert lowest bidder joke here**

AnnieR2

There’s no excuse for this 😡

Arthur ❌️👑2

Have they blamed Biden yet?

Sister Stone (Unshackled)1

'Training in the Artic' is codespeak for Greenland Offensive training. Our military is ill prepared to take on Denmark, much less 57,000 angry Greenlanders.

Quoting this

🇨🇦 andyrogers.bsky.social 🇨🇦5

Good news for Canada’s Arctic sovereignty. Reminds me of Putin’s hollowed-out military. So much corruption and graft that they are completely ineffective as a military force. #ThanksDotard

🦇S🎃WI-Fledermaus im Möbelkaufrausch🦇3

So, no Greenland invasion until further notice?

hammancheez

@hammancheez.bsky.social

maybe greenland is safe from invasion for now since apparently the most powerful richest military in the world can't afford to buy winter boots from a non-temu manufacturer

7722d ago

hammancheez32

seriously the level of fucking embarassment on show here this wasn't dudes randomly getting caught in a storm this was a NATO winter exercise alongside a ton of Norwegians and Swedes and Brits who were standing there watching marines keel over like

Shire is working on his first album4

Its giving Russian military vibes

(X) JASON!4

very interesting that we keep inflating our military budget, yet equipment, food, etc. suffers worse and worse. It really makes you wonder where the budget actually goes. (We know where it actually goes)

Brosephine Wires, Perennial Soup-Lover4

“American-made boots” lol the shame

Muspell Hillbilly3

We'd lose a Winter War against like, 5,000 Inuit volunteers.

WildGorillaMan2

Normally the first casualty of battle is the plan, not the boots

Democratic Activists

@democratswin.bsky.social

U.S. Marines’ boots failed in Norway, prompting inspections, replacements and questions over military footwear rules. Read more: www.newsweek.com/us-marines-b...

2222d ago

barbisblue

@barbisblue.bsky.social

They have raised questions about the quality of military-issued footwear and about a congressional push that would further restrict the boots U.S. service members may wear to models made entirely in the United States.

622d ago

Kyle Mizokami

@kmizokami.bsky.social

The Belleville Boot Company. Up to 50 percent defect rate discovered in inspections. www.newsweek.com/us-marines-b...

522d ago

Angry Donkey News

@angrydonkeynews.bsky.social

Army with wet feet is a defeated army....ask Napolean US Marines’ boots fell apart during Arctic NATO exercise www.newsweek.com/us-marines-b...

622d ago

Linuxrebel

@linuxrebel.org

In desert Sheild, Stormin Norman found that the jungle Boots the troops had been issued, just didn't work in the desert. So with Bush's help, he was able to request prototypes and within just a couple weeks everyone had new boots. Hegseth just buys boots that fall apart.

122d ago

janeapplpiprogress.bsky.social

@janeapplpiprogress.bsky.social

tinyurl.com/3rffw2hv GOOD GRIEF... "... holes opened in the leather, soles separated from the boots, & freezing water seeped inside while Marines crossed snow and ice carrying heavy packs"

122d ago

RichThompsonAK

@richthompsonak.bsky.social

Marines’ Arctic boot failures reignite fight over made-in-USA rule "... described "significant defects" in the specialist cold weather boot worn by the Marines, and said the problems were discovered during this training ..." www.newsweek.com/us-marines-b...

122d ago

Brown Sugar Babe RN MSN

@cas7217.bsky.social

While they’re jetting around the world eating lobster and caviar, our troops don’t have adequate basic gear and food!

222d ago

Zack

@queensicez.bsky.social

Read "Exclusive: US Marines’ boots fell apart during Arctic NATO exercise" on SmartNews: l.smartnews.com/p-8vRo411K/9...

22d ago

Melinda 🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇸 🇨🇦

@akbumpkin.bsky.social

Alfa makes great boots! But those are not really winter boots, so dunno. There are actually some very good cold-weather boots made in the US, if the Marines were willing to sacrifice some style points (which I gather, in this DoD, they're not).

222d ago

mightsoundstrange.bsky.social

@mightsoundstrange.bsky.social

Our military deserves much better leadership than what they have now, just complete fuck ups: www.rawstory.com/pentagon-267...

122d ago

Remo

@remoman.bsky.social

But the problem extended beyond the exercise. Inspectors later examined 4,423 boots at Camp Lejeune and found 538 defective pairs. Are you suggesting there might be procurement graft? In the trump Administration? Come on?

122d ago

Elise Bjørkan Viksaas

@elisevik.bsky.social

Støvlene til amerikanske marinefolk gikk delvis i oppløsning under øvelse i Norge. Helt utrolig hvor fort Trump & gjengen har enshittified - alt www.newsweek.com/us-marines-b...

122d ago

2 sources

smartnews.comExclusive: US Marines’ Boots Fell Apart During Arctic NATO Exercise (Newsweek)newsweek.comExclusive: US Marines’ boots fell apart during Arctic NATO exercise

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US Marines' boots failed during Arctic NATO exercise

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