Century-Old Military Canteens to Be Replaced by 2026 After Decades of Complaints

Raise complaints due to poor hygiene issues
Scheduled for replacement by 2026

Republic of Korea Reserve Forces often express discomfort when recalling certain supplies they had to use during their service. One such item is the military canteen, which hasn’t been changed for almost a century.

Those who had to train with these unsanitary canteens strapped to their waists and drink from them often report trauma even after their service.

According to the 2019 Uniform Satisfaction Survey released by the ROK Ministry of National Defense, the water canteen ranked first four years ago as the least satisfying supply among active-duty soldiers due to its worn-out condition and poor hygiene.

The military authorities have been supplying the same canteens for 70 years. During the Korean War and the Vietnam War, the U.S. military used canteens with 1945 U.S. engraved on the bottom, which have been supplied without replacement.

Why haven’t they been discarded? Because there’s no specific disposal period for canteens according to military regulations. They only discard one that is too dented to use.

While other supplies like uniforms, combat boots, and blankets have cleaning standards, there are no cleaning guidelines for canteens, so there is no clear way to keep them clean.

In a 2008 microbial culture test of canteens conducted by Congressman Suh Chung Won, a member of the Pro-Park Alliance, Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and food poisoning, was found in the aluminum canteens that accounted for more than half of the military canteens at the time.

In response to soldiers’ constant complaints, former Democratic Party Congressman Kim Kwang Jin endeavored to replace the remaining 250,000 canteens in the military by securing a budget of 2.5 billion won ($1.8 million) during his active service in 2014.

However, he received complaints that the canteens hadn’t been replaced. Upon investigation, it was found that while each unit purchased new canteens, they stored those in warehouses to use in case of war.

Surprisingly, there were cases where soldiers had not received the aluminum canteens that started being supplied seven years before the replacement in 2007.

Even after this, soldiers continued to testify about using canteens made in the 1940s. The Human Rights Commission also recommended that new canteens be distributed to individuals.

The Ministry of National Defense has recently shown initiatives to resolve this canteen issue properly.

In December last year, they announced a plan to replace all canteens with new ones by 2026, investing approximately 10 billion won ($7.3 million).

The new canteens will be upgraded in terms of material and design. They will be made of stainless steel, which is easier to clean, and will have a wider mouth for easier drinking. Moreover, instead of directly handing over used canteens to recruits, they will be cleaned by professional companies before distribution.

Meanwhile, the ROK Ministry of National Defense tries to improve soldiers’ lives in various ways.

They are changing the meal structure in military cafeterias, which currently serve five menus, including rice, soup, and side dishes per meal, to offer a variety of menus in a single meal, allowing soldiers to choose their preferred menu in a buffet-style meal service.

They have also immediately replaced all blankets and quilted jackets with regular duvets. Like the canteens, local professional companies will take charge of cleaning.