– I have no confidence in the 30 who admit to using illegal drugs, says guard chief Trond Robert Forbregd to news. He says they have uncovered “what is popularly known as party dope”. – Cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana, says the head of the guard. After a private party, during leave, earlier this summer, the Armed Forces were tipped off about the use of illegal drugs among conscripts. Five conscripts from His Majesty’s King’s Guard admitted the relationship. CHIEF OF GUARDS: Trond Robert Forbregd. Photo: Bjørne Østrem Djukastein / news Alerted by the police The armed forces were informed by the police about the party held about two weeks ago, where five conscripts were, says the guard chief. In the wake of this case, a further 25 conscripts from the department have come forward and admitted to using illegal drugs while on leave. – They are looked after in a thorough and good way. It is about beautiful women and men who have made a mistake. And that has a consequence, but now they are dismissed within one or two days after going through the necessary procedures, says the head of the guard. – Have the cases been reported to the police? – We have not followed this up beyond the military track based on the legal assessments made by experts in the Armed Forces, says the guard chief. This archive image from a raid at Sessvollmoen shows how soldiers are examined by drug dogs during raids. Photo: The Norwegian Defense Forces He says they have no indications that there is further drug abuse in the farm. – Nevertheless, we should not be naive here. We also see the development of society. We must be wise on the same level as the rest of the Armed Forces in the way we meet this social development with prevention, but also checks and testing, he says. Operating heavy weapons Someone in the guard whom news has spoken to expresses concern that soldiers are using drugs. – I don’t want the person operating a heavy weapon next to me to have been intoxicated, he says. It’s one of the things I’m passionate about, he says. He believes “the matter is alarming”. – I think this reflects drug use elsewhere in society, and that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg here, he says. Royal guard His Majesty’s King’s Guard consists of a staff and five companies. The best known is the 3rd Guards Company, which has a drill troop and a music troop. The department in the Army forms the bodyguard for the king and the royal house. Among other things, it is responsible for 24-hour security at the Castle. The picture shows a May 17 celebration outside the Castle with the King’s Guard lined up, and is not directly linked to the soldiers in question. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB The 30 conscripted soldiers will now be discharged. This means that they have been kicked out of the Armed Forces. Brage Steinson Wiik-Hansen, spokesman for the Army, states that drug prevention work in the Armed Forces is carried out to safeguard the individual’s health, working environment, service and safety in order to maintain operational capability. Press contact in the Army, Brage Steinson Wiik-Hansen. Photo: The Armed Forces – Are you going to test the whole company now? – As of now, there is no suspicion of the use of illegal drugs among others in the department. The preventive work against the use of illegal drugs on and off duty is, on the other hand, always an ongoing work in all the Armed Forces’ departments. – What do you think about soldiers handling weapons admitting to drug use? – There are no indications or suspicions of use in service. The use of illegal drugs on or off duty is not compatible with service in the Armed Forces, and is the reason why the people this applies to are now being dismissed, says Steinson Wiik-Hansen. Eirik Sjøhelle Eiksund is a national trust representative for the Norwegian Armed Forces. He tells news that there have been indications of an episode with guards that could have consequences. Eirik Sjøhelle Eiksund is a national trust representative for the Norwegian Armed Forces. Photo: Bjørne Østrem Djukastein / news – We fully support the Armed Forces’ zero tolerance for substance abuse. At the same time, the shop steward scheme is concerned that discharged soldiers are looked after by professional personnel on the basis of drug and doping problems, he says. He believes it is good that the soldiers came forward and talked about substance abuse. – Our opinion is that cases of such scope are not common in the Armed Forces. That 30 are dismissed is an exceptional case. The armed forces have routines which mean that you must weed out drug abuse before you arrive at your place of duty.
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30 guards finished in the military after drug use – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
