Soldiers assigned to Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR) in Europe and the Multinational Task Force in the Sinai Peninsula are having significant issues getting parts and supplies through the countries' customs agencies, even though we are there to provide assistance and security. This problem has been happening since these support missions began. The problem is significant and has a direct impact on America's readiness. Here are only a couple examples of the hundreds of which The Armed Forces Press was informed. The worst nations are Egypt and Turkey, and the next in line are those bordering on Ukraine.

• Soldiers often have to abandon personal effects when going through customs in these countries on their way home. This affects not only individual morale but also readiness concerns tied to maintenance, as Soldiers sometimes are forced to abandon personal kits they use to maintain equipment. One recent example is from an experienced maintenance test pilot who was forced to leave a personal tool kit behind. Test pilots often build custom tool kits used to help them keep a fleet of aircraft in the air. A close comparison to a kit like this is a teacher spending personal funds to meet the needs of an individual classroom when the school district does not fund the items.
• Fifteen years ago, an engine was ordered to repair a Huey helicopter assigned to the Sinai Peninsula Task Force. It's been sitting in a customs warehouse in Egypt since. Within the last few months, it finally arrived at the correct location. There are no more Huey helicopters in this task force.

Customs in some countries have a habit of extracting funds from certain nations and not others. Turkey requires Western nations, mostly NATO, to pay a fee to receive a customs stamp, this stamp is not required by Turkey from most other nations in the world. This author experienced this when flying into and out of Istanbul multiple times.

Nations reliant on American assistance or receiving any foreign aid should not extort Americans through the customs process, but they are. Either they stop this practice, or we should leave.