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Meddling with MRE menus, a matter of taste

by Kristen Guss

FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Army News Service, April 21, 2003) -- Beginning with contract production runs in June, the Defense Logistics Agency will add new Meals, Ready to Eat menus, while eliminating others.

The changes were in response to the likes and dislikes expressed in Army surveys taken by soliders in the field.

The new entrees include Pork Rib and Sauce, Vegetable Manicotti and Roast Beef with Vegetables.

Entrees being eliminated include Jamaican Pork Chop, Pasta Alfredo and Beef with Mushrooms. However, the current stock of MREs will be used until exhausted.

The MRE is a pre-packaged operational ration designed to sustain an individual engaged in heavy activity such as military training or during actual military operations when normal food service facilities are not available. It is totally self-contained and consists of a full meal packed in a flexible meal bag. The full bag is lightweight and fits into military field clothing pockets. Each meal bag contains an entree and a variety of other useful items, such as chewing gum, matches and moist toilette.

Except for the beverages, the entire meal is ready to eat. While the entree may be eaten cold when desired or necessary, it can also be heated in a variety of ways, including submersion in hot water while still sealed in its individual entrée package. Since Operation Desert Storm, a flameless ration heating device has also been packed into each meal bag to heat the entrée.

Each meal bag contains the components of one meal. Soldiers who are engaged in heavy activity normally consume three MREs a day.

In its ongoing effort to be responsive to its customers, DLA provides several types of MREs tailored to different dietary requirements.

The Meal, Religious, Kosher or Halal, is provided for individuals in the military services who maintain a strict religious diet. Each meal consists of one Kosher or Halal certified entree and religiously certified or acceptable complementary items sufficient to provide the recommended daily nutritional requirements. There are two vegetarian meals in every box of MREs which supports those troops who, for various reasons, cannot consume meat.

Special Humanitarian Daily Rations are also produced and distributed to displaced persons or refugees under emergency conditions. These packs contain enough food to sustain a moderately malnourished person for one day.

In support of Iraqi Operations, the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Supply Center Philadelphia has shipped approximately 30 million individual menu bags of MREs. If the menu bags were laid end to end, these MREs would go around the world 228 times. DLA has also procured and begun distribution of more than 4 million Humanitarian Daily Rations.

(Editor's note: Kristen Guss works for the Defense Logistics Agency.)