When I was a boy

At my late teens I was drafted as legually required by the Swedish state to be comissioned for some sort of military service in the (then pretty mighty- by numbers) Swedish military.

I drowe the 200 km down south to Boden where the (for a loss of better words)- the recruting office were.

Well there I was going thrugh a series of physical and phsycological test to estimate my abilities.

You must know that at that time you really could'nt choose. It was serving time in the military or doing hard time in prison!

Anyway, after doing all these tests, I was given the privilige of actually choosing what kind of commision I wanted. What did I do? Did I take the easy way out? Was I as smart enough as to take up a position in a unit giving me the possibility to befriend girls and possibly, actually make a civilian carrier afterwards?

NO! I choosed the Arctic Rangers... (stupid, stupid, stupid....)

Now! It's not that I did'nt enjoy my stay there or rather the always beloved comrades I got to meet and know. I'ts just that doing service as a Arctic Ranger is just ranging on the border of stupidity. Or atleast you have to be a masochist to choosing it while being drafted.

My service there started with a strip off at the excercise yard ( in front of the girls working in the mess hall) - This was in the beginnig of June- and there was snow falling!

After standing there for ten minutes or so; we where ordered to dress up in the army fatigues and pack our rucksacks.

I actually cried when we were marching off four kilometers to a sight which is actually known as "The fourth Kilometer". There we took up our tents and were issued our weapons.

The "normal" weight for a ranger back- pack is 38 kg, or so. But you allways carry a lot more weight than that. Mine weighing in at 68 (+ the assualt rifle and ammunition, making it a total of allmost 75 Kg!) Kg at one time (that's 151- 170 pounds for you non- metric types).

I never had enough to eat during my service (I felt). Still I put on some 20 Kg:s during that time. We were expected to walk or ski through roadless mountain country for 50 kilometers or more in less than eight hours with these backpacks.

At one time I did the "Ranger Test" which ment that after a field week, you had to do a 36 Km long trip over mountain country without anything else than wheat- craccers to eat, on time.

Having that said; I do not think I'm even close to putting up the effort and courage that American, Israelian and for that matter Swedish troops in international service has done for the sake of freedom and democracy. Semper Fi!

Bless you all!