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thedrifter
08-08-03, 02:10 PM
Finding New Ways to Feed U.S. Forces
By Alfonso Lopez
Army News Service
July 31, 2003


WASHINGTON -- MRE prototype items were recently displayed at the Capitol during Soldier Modernization Day. These items included pocket sandwiches, grilled hamburger, pepperoni pasta, sloppy joes, and hash browns with bacon, all of which may be available one day.

"The key driver to ensuring that these combat ration platforms reflect the expectation of the soldier is actually doing field evaluations in actual field settings," said Gerald Darsch, director of DOD Combat Feeding.

The event was held July 15 and 17.

The DOD Combat Feeding program, out of Natick, Mass., spices up the new rations developed for troops.

The focus is to provide the highest quality rations to soldiers, said Darsch. The food made available is focused on the preferences of soldiers while providing the nutrition necessary for war.

"We take a lot of pride in providing war fighters...the fuel that powers the war fighter to get the mission accomplished," said Darsch. "[These rations] allow them to accomplish their mission and return out of harms way to enjoy time with their families."

The soldier is key in the decision-making process, said Darsch. Combat Feeding receives feedback directly from soldiers. Recently soldiers at Pohokaloa, Hawaii, training area were able to try out the new Meals, Ready to Eat, in addition to heat and serve items. The results of this data will be reduced and analyzed in comparison to current MREs. This will create a compiled list with the most favored items above the rest.

"We will then propose changes to the MRE and to the unitized group ration," said Darsch. That data will then be presented in the Joint Services Operational Forum. This current data will actually take effect in the 2006 data pack.

Additions to the meals will range from simple seasonings to foreign dishes. While soldier preferences are taken heavily into account, everything that soldiers would want cannot be included, said Darsch, as weight and space is an issue.

This is also a consideration when it comes to the allocating of water. "Less weight obviously means that more energy can be devoted to achieving the mission," said Darsch. The newest means of achieving this is the Camelback with forward osmosis capability.

This contains, "a membrane that the war fighter can drop in the most horrific looking swamp...and the membrane [would] allow only pure potable water to permeate the membrane," said Darsch.

If we can provide that fuel in the most highly acceptable fashion and have it of high quality, traditional and familiar we feel the cognitive and physical performance will be maintained or enhanced," Darsch said.

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

greensideout
08-08-03, 09:33 PM
I always thought steak and lobster would be nice. LOL