– I had an indentation at Evenes in July. And from then until now, I haven’t done a shit. This is how one of the Tiktok videos begins to Dawn Knutsen, who sits on the barracks at Evenes and waits. She was one of five who got the position as operator for local alarm reception in the Armed Forces at Evenes. She should start after the recruit. But things were not the way she thought. In the recruit, Knutsen signed a security clearance documents. That’s something everyone should sign. Knutsen has been waiting since September. In March, six months later, she is still waiting for clearance. Before she gets it, she can’t work. – There have been some long days and a lot of waiting. You try to find things to fill the days on the barracks, says Knutsen to news. It was the Defense Forum that first mentioned the case. Dawn Knutsen hopes to get approved security clearance as soon as possible. Photo: Private / news The background can be crucial There are various reasons why it may take longer for someone to be cleared. Knutsen is half Filipino, but has not heard if that is why it has taken so long to clear her. – I haven’t received an answer as to why. You just sit and speculate and wait, she says. She will be at Evenes until June. Knutsen has even figured out what she has done since mid -September. – 60 percent of what I have done has been leave or that I have done absolutely nothing. Then the rest have been the arrangement they have found for me, she says. Dawn Knutsen in first -time service does not receive security clearance at the job at Evenes Air Station She says that she thinks it is strange that she gets approved the military service like this. Several cases Knutsen knows about two others who were in the same situation as her. She shared the rotation with someone who made the days a little easier. The two stayed together and tried to get the days to go around. Among other things, they watched five films and two series in a week, and she says she felt “rotten” – it usually ended up with the fact that we went and bought something in the kiosk, and then settled in bed and not make a shit. When Knutsen came to Evenes, she knew nothing that she was dependent on the security clearance to do her job. She didn’t hear anything about it at session either. – If I had known this, I could have applied for another position. But I didn’t get any warning about it, she says. She didn’t hear anything about the security clearance at the session either. Colonel Hans Martin Steiro is the head of 133 air wing at Evenes Flybase. He does not think anything about the situation, but believes that they have found a decent temporary solution. Photo: Henrik Einangshaug / news Wanted to Diminate – now it is made to the right Colonel Hans Martin Steiro is the head of 133 air wing at Evenes Flybase, saying that the situation is unfortunate. – It is demanding for them, of course, who does not get the service they were predicted. It is also demanding for us to provide them with meaningful service, because you do not then have clearance. The colonel has previously told the Defense Forum, which first mentioned the case, that he wanted a greater room for action to diminish soldiers or pause their service, pending the decision. Now, however, he has received an answer, and the room for action is more constructive. – Now that case has been dealt with, and we have received new guidelines from the top of the defense that we are so good as possible to give them a meaningful service. It involves giving the tasks they can perform without clearance. What these tasks are, the colonel will not go into more detail. If the security clearance is not finally approved, the conscripts will still be able to do a job at the base. – Some others may have to have a different service than they were predicted. But the main essence of us is that we have been given some greater room to give them a more meaningful service. – Why is it so difficult to provide any conscripts? – I’m probably not the right one to answer. I also have no insight into why it takes time. And if we get rejected, then I have no insight into why he or she was denied a clearance. – Knitting for the soldiers Defense Chief Safety Officer Thomas Norman Hansen, says he has been in contact with some at Evenes flight station about the situation. – It is unfortunate for the Armed Forces to get into that situation and it is great for those soldiers who do not receive a meaningful service. This is not something that is defined Evenes, security clearances that take time, is a general problem throughout the defense. – It is an unacceptable that they sit and “gamer” all day, and the like, he adds. He says the main problem is that those who treat the clearances, in the Defense Security Department, are too few people. Chief Safety Officer in the Armed Forces, Thomas Norman Hansen. Photo: Ole Sverre Haugli / Army – they take away many cases where there are no challenges. But as I understood it has one of those who has to wait a mother from the Philippines. With the situation in the world now, everything also takes extra time. He says that the Armed Forces want diversity and that it reflects the rest of society. – But then it is clear that the Armed Forces must be able to design the department for those who are going to clearly conscripts, so that they do not have to wait that long. That there has now been a kind of temporary solution is positive, he says. – I know that it is done elsewhere, including in His Majesty the King’s Guard, that a meaningful service is provided regardless of clearance. The challenge at Evenes is that they have not had the resources. Published 10.03.2025, at. 05.51 Updated 10.03.2025, at. 08.22
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