Re: [HoE] Milrats/MREs-Fact from Fiction

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

><<They have high calorie content/They were so calorie rich that they were
>causing severe internal problems:  despite the myth that MREs have
millions of
>calories, a full MRE, consuming all components, provides 1200-1300 calories.
>A male in the field needs 2800-3600 cal, and a female 200-2800 calories.

Right - but giving MREs to people who have been eating a handful of rice
daily, might not have been a wise move.

><<MRE's were so concentrated, or there were chemicals in them, that one
>usually didn't have to undergo a bowel movement but once every four days:  no
>chemicals (another urban myth).

What?!?  I suppose you're gonna tell me that there wasn't any saltpeter
either?  :-)

>.  Due to the low water content (low activity of
>water means little microbial growth) and the fact that most people in the
>field are sweating copiously, bowel movements are infrequent and rock hard
>when they do come out.

I believe the "dry-adobe" comment summed that experience up rather well.  

>  Dehydrated components are a thing of the past, with
>all fruit in "wet packs" and no more dehydrated entrees of any type.  Today's
>MREs also have a high fat content, and constipation should be reduced if
fluid
>intake is maintained.

Note - my experience with MREs happen to be four years outta date.  They
were just starting to have the MREs with the pizza slice hit the non-combat
units when I got out in '92.


><<The (probablyapocryphal) story I heard about these later MREs was that the
>design team (nutritionists, engineers and other such types involved in
>creating
>and stuffing three meals of food in one small bag capable of sitting in
>storage for years)  gave the General in charge of the MRE contract their
>latest devolpments and ideas.  Another urban myth.  The powers that be
realize
>that good food is a morale booster, and are working hard to win over today's
>"Burger King Babies" with the new MREs.  The entrees for the latest
generation
>MREs are better than anything that Hormel or any commercial company puts out
>as "Shelf-stable".  Researchers from Natick Labs (Medical and Materiel
>Research and development Command) go out to troops in the field several times
>per year and have them fill out surveys on which entrees they like and what
>they would like to see.  Currently there are "hand sandwiches" in the works,
>much like the frozen Lean Pockets but shelf stable.

Hmmm.... 
While I did tag that story as probably apocryphal - I do know that there
were some pretty lousy MREs out there, and it seemed only later in my hitch
was there even rumors of attempts to improve them.  I would like to state
that it is highly likely that the desire to improve the MREs came long
after their useage and bad reputation had spread to even the brass.

><<the "popularization" of MREs may have actually reduced their shelf life.
>The name brand candy tastes better fresh, but after awhile they go bad -
>leaving you worse off if you happened to get a case that was sitting around
>for awhile.  Not true.  Although the M&Ms or Skittles may be in the samer
>wrapper you pick up at the store, they are made to milspecs, using that
>indestructible chocolate or whatever is in Skittles.

Again... hmmmm.... I know that I got M&Ms that have turned more then once.
ie. the chocolate had turned white, flaky and tasted lousy.  I've never had
a turned/stale Oatmeal Cookie Bar.  (though it is entirely possible that
it's impossible for a 1/2 pound emery board to go bad).
Didn't have Skittles though.

>By the way, the preceding was in no way a flame on Alan's reply.  I just used
>it because it had so many points that were being repeated over and over.
>Anyone interested in more tables can contact me and I'll send them to you.

No prob - I tried to tag the parts that I wasn't certain about with the
appropriate vagaries that allow me to duck out when real facts come along.
:-)


-------------------
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Capt.  James T.    Kirk:
To boldly go...  where no chicken... has...  gonebefore.