Field/Combat Army Rations. What Are Your Stories of Eating Chow? CHOW SHARE OF THE DAY?

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 20:42:48 -0400

Military Rations, MREs & Food we all got to have it for survival. I always said, you can work me hard but just feed me! There I was Soldering all day in Iraq, instead of an empty stomach all I wanted was some HOT chow to keep pushing. Just gives me that replenishment to DRIVE ON WITH FOR THE MISSION/TASK AT HAND!

The military food supply, combat rations, ranging from the canned rations of World War II, Korea and Vietnam to the modern Meals, Ready to Eat (MRE) and HooAH! Bar:
Field or Combat Army Rations: C-Rations, K-Rations, D-Rations and More
Rations are fundamental to military operations. The US Army Quartermaster Corps, and equivalent units in all military services around the world, have to provide for the daily food needs of combat and support troops under all conditions. While cooked food served from field kitchens, or mess hall food at permanent bases, covers much of the need, many front line troops require special rations prepared and packaged for field use. Here are some example(inclusive):
• Military Food Supply, General
• Field Hydration
• Field and Combat Rations ◦Field Rations: C, K, D & More
◦Meal, Ready to Eat (MRE)
◦HooAH! Bar
◦First Strike Ration
• Emergency Rations ◦WW II Emergency Rations
◦Food Packet, Survival, General Purpose, Improved
◦Food Packet, Survival, Abandon Ship
◦Food Packet, Survival, Aircraft, Life Raft
◦Water, Drinking, Emergency

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Lt Col Charlie Brown SSG Michael Noll Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Cpl Vic Burk MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. SGT Private RallyPoint Member PO2 Marco Monsalve SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth ] SSG William Jones SPC Nancy Greene PO1 Tony Holland SGT Mark Anderson LTC Private RallyPoint Member SGT Steve McFarland SGT James Murphy Sgt Private RallyPoint Member LTC David Brown 1SG Dan Capri CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Jun 24 at 2015 8:44 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 20:44:40 -0400

I was one of the greatest C-ration cooks in the world....Then they took away my steel pot....

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 8:52 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 20:52:21 -0400

So no crap, there I was...
Operation Golden Castle, Camp Grafton, North Dakota circa 2000. The cooks couldn't get the MKT certified to serve A Rations. In a bind, the 1SG went to the garrison area to forage for supplies. The Camp provided him with T-Rations. If you have never seen these, they are big foil trays filled with a food-like substance that has the consistency of Jello. It is irradiated to make it shelf-stable. You heat the pan in boiling water, and Viola! You get a quiche-like slab of "food" to serve.
It is oppressively terrible to eat, and no amount of Tobasco will fix the flavor.
One day I had KP and had to take out the trash. That's when I noticed the labeling on the covers. "Manufactured by the ____ company, 1944."

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 9:15 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 21:15:33 -0400

I remember the old canteen and metal trays; along time ago.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jun 24 at 2015 9:30 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 21:30:59 -0400

Who could forget the dehydrated beef or pork patty. Not very tasty! IMO the MREs nowadays are like eating at a restaurant compared to the first ones that came out.

I think T Rat Pound Cake was pretty good.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 24 at 2015 10:23 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 22:23:18 -0400

The best? French MREs. We have no clue how to make them.
The worst? 4-Finger Mary.
Old School? C-Rats with the 4 pack of Green Label Lucky Strike cigarettes.
Longest in Inventory? Maple Bar. It just won't go away.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Jun 25 at 2015 12:21 AM

SP5 Joel O'Brien — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 00:21:33 -0400

The scene is: First meal in the field from a field kitchen in Basic. Wearing the basic field gear including the old steel pot helmet. "I really don't belong in the Army" is the thought running through my mind as I start to go through the chow line with the metal mess kit plate. "Potatoes, Sir?" says the first server to me, a brand new E-1. Next server says to me, "Some gravy, Sir?" Well! The new Modern Volunteer Army might not be all that bad I'm thinking! I get to the end of the line and there's our Drill Sgt. He looks at me and says, "O'BRIEN! SCRAPE THAT THING OFFA YER HELMET!!!" I put down my plate, take off the steel pot and notice it has a 1LT bar on it. Duh! I didn't even notice it when I put it on.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jun 25 at 2015 1:05 AM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 01:05:37 -0400

I remember C Rations. They were heavy, and hard to carry, hurt when you landed on one, and the cakes were hard to get out of the cans; I still have my P38.
I remember Heat Tabs, I almost burn't a tent down in Alaska, on fire guard... with a Heat Tab.
I remember LRPRs... they did not last long.
I remember the first MREs... and the Beef Patty and Pork Patty... they were awesome...
I remember licking the inside of MRE wrappers dry at Ranger school, and trading things like sugar and coffee.
I remember immersion heaters... and seeing Soldiers who lost all their facial hair trying to light them.
I remember being in Somalia for over 60 days eating nothing but MRE's and building a box fort in our sleeping area, we had so many...
I remember when T-rations finally showed up, and we were thrilled???
I remember getting a warm can of Pepsi in Somalia and thinking it was great.
I remember near beer... and liking it?
I remember being able to get two beers in Bosnia...
I remember our troops liked/loved to go to the DFAC in Green Zone, when we ventured to their (generally to see a Soldier in the 28th CSH), and how they were amazed with the plates, the silver ware, and the vast selection...
I remember Rip It... I hated them, but our CSM and troopers loved them.
Finally, I remember we were having issues with the MSR at the Kuwaiti Border (06-08), and some Colonel on the MNFI staff, maybe a BG, was worried that Baskin Robbins might be at risk...
Oh, and I remember Green Beans.

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Jun 25 at 2015 1:10 AM

SSG Keven Lahde — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 01:10:02 -0400

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC I am a 92G and if I don't get the change to cook for my troops I feel lost. My last AT with my old unit before I did my IST, we went the whole AT without cooking at all and I felt useless to say the least. I feel though soldiers hate us cooks, but when we don't have any food, then they want us too cook for them...lol. Its like we can never win at all. But i love my job and if I don't get to cook for them, yes I feel lost and almost a waste of time.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2015 2:39 AM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 02:39:21 -0400

C-Rats, John Wayne (P38), I had a whole lot of them during my younger days in the Corps. Used my Steel Helmet/Pot for doing everything and anything that you could use it for. Eatting, cooking, bathing, shaving. You name it. MRE's. 1600 calories per bag. I wasn't to happy with these, but I did like their bread. Stoffures Meals, now that i can live with. Had thes in Desert Storm. S/F, JK

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 25 at 2015 2:18 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 14:18:57 -0400

As a young PFC in the 82nd, I remember a bunch of us betting the village idiot soldier that he wouldn't take 2 pieces of bread and take a bite of the sandwich made from the contents of the slop pit behind the MKT. He said he would do it for $100 and I've never seen wallets come out faster. Funniest and most disgusting thing I've seen in a LONG time. I puked just seeing it.

Response by SSgt Tim Ricci made Jun 29 at 2015 4:36 PM

SSgt Tim Ricci — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 16:36:24 -0400

Chow hall Breakfast, I LOVE SOS! and grits, C Rats, Ham and eggs with cheese sauce, crackers and Texas Pete!! I considered myself a C Rat Chef as long as I had Texas Pete!

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Jul 2 at 2015 12:05 PM

LTC Ed Ross — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 12:05:39 -0400

We had C Rations in Vietnam. Always had an excess of ham and lima beans. No one would eat it.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2015 12:54 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 12:54:49 -0400

During a training deployments to the Big Island one of our cooks would make incredible soups from leftover T-rations and send it up to the hill for us to eat while we conducted night time fire missions. On one particular trip the Marines from K-Bay took over the mess hall for the last week of the exercise. When evening chow came to the hill we mentioned the soup to one of the Marines. He responded if we wanted soup he'd bring some up the next night. The next night our "soup" arrived, a kind of water/onion mixture we could only take as an indication the mess sergeant was not happy with our request. Worst of all it came in one of our drink containers, so for the rest of the exercise our juice and Kool-Aid had a distinct onion flavor.

Response by CW4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2015 1:53 PM

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 13:53:09 -0400

The best part of getting MRE's in the field was the aspect of trading portions of your MRE with other Soldiers. This concept was vital in developing social skills and overall teambuilding.

Response by CPT Bruce Rodgers made Jul 3 at 2015 11:42 PM

CPT Bruce Rodgers — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 23:42:19 -0400

I hated the old MRE with eggs, to me they were gross, but they did have cheese and crackers

Response by SPC Thomas Baldwin made Jul 3 at 2015 11:48 PM

SPC Thomas Baldwin — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 23:48:19 -0400

MRE's and T-Rations thank GOD for the Louisiana Hot sauce that came with them, and the gum.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Jul 4 at 2015 12:10 AM

CPT Chris Loomis — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 00:10:22 -0400

Okay, show of hands..... Who has made and ate an "MRE Speedball?"

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2015 8:24 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 08:24:53 -0400

Some of the best and worst food ever eaten. I do miss not having to dishes or preparing meals (other than a heater or doing head-count). I the first few months of this year eating UGR-A, so when the fresh food started coming in, I thought I died and went to grocery heaven.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 4 at 2015 10:43 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 10:43:40 -0400

My favorite is MRE Bread. Lay the package out in the sun open it and it is awsome... I remember it as being a treat anytime we got it.

Response by SSgt Charles Edwards made Jul 4 at 2015 12:38 PM

SSgt Charles Edwards — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 12:38:28 -0400

I never had much of an issue with any MRE until I discovered the omelet one. In the name of all that is holy, that was by far the most disgusting thing ever invented as a food source. It is so bad, not even hot sauce can save it. If you're young and don't know the nastiness that is the omelet MRE, do yourself a favor and pass on it.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 4 at 2015 1:36 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 13:36:37 -0400

I was in an armored TF conducting a show force mission in the middle of Kuwaiti desert. For Thanksgiving a blackhawk bflew to our location with dinner. Out came the food, MG Wallace, and two servers in white kitchen uniforms. That was the best Thanksgiving dinner ever. We laid on our tanks and savored the dinner. We were fat and sassy.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Sep 4 at 2015 8:24 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:24:43 -0400

I tended to enjoy eating C-rations when I either got a meal I wanted or better yet traded parts of the box with other soldiers. John Wayne bars, fruit cocktail and pound cake were some of my favorites because they did not have to be heated up. Pork whatever they were and the spaghetti and meatballs could never seem to be cooked evenly through and through. The "crackers" were something else along with the "cheese" spread which seemingly had decades before they might be un-edible; but, who could tell. We certainly are C-=rations in the 1970's that had been boxed in the 1940's.
Eating a LRRP and then drinking water produced results that were funny to look at but painful to experience as the ingredients expanded inside you - sort of like the Alien which appeared after eating the wrong meal in the parody "Space Balls"
In the field in the 1980's "hot" meals were usually appreciated whether dinner arrived at breakfast or lunch it was generally okay. Eating breakfast stored in "Military Aluminum Mermite Hot Cold Insulated Food Container- Lasko Metal Products" in the early morning brought back memories of Doctor Seuss as powered eggs stored in aluminum turn green. We found ourselves eating green eggs and ham on more than one occasion.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Sep 4 at 2015 8:25 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:25:48 -0400

Full of salt and fattening. lol

I never was in combat or any where near it. I did try some MRE's from time to time.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Sep 4 at 2015 9:05 PM

SSgt Terry P. — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 21:05:37 -0400

C-rations in training and Vietnam,acquired LRPR,S at times, any "field chow" was usually old. Ever try to eat "green turkey"?

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Sep 4 at 2015 11:30 PM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 23:30:52 -0400

Embrace the Suck

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Sep 5 at 2015 12:14 AM

CMSgt James Nolan — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 00:14:49 -0400

MRE Jalepeno Cheese....yes, score

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 5 at 2015 9:00 AM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 09:00:38 -0400

Field chow was always important for the troops. When we got food from the DFAC that bad, my 1SG and I would go to the DFAC to tell them they need improvement and put some love in the process of preparing food.

Response by SPC James Seigars made Sep 6 at 2015 7:11 PM

SPC James Seigars — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 19:11:29 -0400

This goes to show the difference between having to eat MRE's and not: I had been to a field exercise with my Reserve unit in 1986 and brought home 2-3 MRE's because I didn't like them. My mom & sisters saw them and asked if they could try them out. I tried to tell them they weren't any good, but they insisted so I let them have them. Wouldn't you know they loved them! I ended up having to pay $150 or so for two boxes of them to take home the next time we had a drill. Goes to show that your trash is someone else's Steak.

Response by 1SG Patrick Sims made Sep 14 at 2015 9:27 PM

1SG Patrick Sims — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 21:27:46 -0400

When I was in Vietnam I liked the chopped ham and eggs. Because others didn't I would trade with them. One day we were traveling through this disserted vill and saw this starving dog eating garbage. Feeling sorry for it I opened a can of chopped ham and eggs, put it on a piece of cardboard and gave it to him. he sniffed at it---ate a bit---than went back to eating garbage---needless to say--I figured if a starving dog would rather eat garbage than chopped ham and eggs--I figured it wasn't such a good idea for me to eat it either. --When my wife and I were first married we had a dog. One day I got him a couple cans of Alpo dog foot. When I opened one it looked and smelled just like the beef and potatoes we use to get in C- rations. I tasted some and it tasted the same---I bet the bastards were feeding us dog food. The times being what they were--I wouldn't have been surprised. It would also explain the urges I get to bite the mailman and pee on fire hydrants.

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Sep 14 at 2015 9:37 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 21:37:40 -0400

Sometimes when I see posts like this I sort of feel left out.....and sometimes feel not worthy of being in the service.....I was not in combat nor would I have ever been...I can't imagine what it's like to be in combat or deployed, but I thank all of you who do go and live through this and do all that you do. Thanks!

Response by MAJ Jim Woods made Sep 14 at 2015 10:17 PM

MAJ Jim Woods — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 22:17:17 -0400

The C-rats we had in Vietnam were produced for the KOREAN WAR. How fresh were they? They would plug you up even after taking your Malaria Pills....... Worked better than Imodium....LOL

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Sep 20 at 2015 5:58 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 17:58:01 -0400

WOW! That is quite a list SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL. I am super glad that our troops are well fed; and that they have plenty of drinking water (I pray.)- while they are in combat. If I were the Head of the DOD, I would not have it any other way.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 6:00 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 18:00:34 -0400

Ramen and a JetBoil everywhere I go. Not a big fan of plugging my colon up with MRE's.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2015 6:06 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 18:06:44 -0400

Love the cold weather MREs. They have around 5000 calories and choices like lasagna and scrabble eggs with bacon. Just add hot water!!

Response by SPC George Long made Sep 20 at 2015 6:52 PM

SPC George Long — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 18:52:10 -0400

In 1971 I was setting in the turret of one of our V 100"s having some c-rats. We had escorted a convoy from Can Tho to The SF training base at Chi Lang. Anyway that was normally 2 days there and a day and a half running the V-100 solo back to Can Tho. Any way we decided to try to get back in a day and stopped beside the road in Chau Duc to eat and recheck our equipment before trying a fast run back. Within minutes we had attracted a group of probably 100 underfed kids. Well we always tried to give them something to eat. But they had arrived so late only I had anything left. I had a round piece or dark chocolate from a crat can. I took a single bite from it to show it was safe to ear. I pitched it to the crowd of kids like a little Frisbee. Well one of the smaller kids caught it. He took 1 bite from it and started cussing me in Vietnamese and English .He was not happy. Then he threw it back trying to hit me in the head. Well it was high and outside so they started picking up rocks to throw at me. I dropped into the turret, buttoned up and hit the road. Only time I had a kid throw candy at me.

Response by SPC George Long made Sep 20 at 2015 7:17 PM

SPC George Long — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 19:17:29 -0400

During the early part of the unpleasantness, a guy from my unit in Vietnam son end up in Tikrit. I wrote him and told him I had their back for the things they needed from home if necessary. I shipped many requested items, many items were given to me to send, small town life is good that way. Seems after a few months of mres they really needed some condiments. So I sent him 24 bottles of Hooters hot sauce and about 25 lbs of assorted beef sticks, jerky etc from the Tillimonk smoke house. But for us old guys the coolest thing we got them was something to wash it down. We sent them a very large box of 33 beer ( The beer that was made in Vietnam.)

Response by SFC Jim Fink made Sep 24 at 2015 4:35 PM

SFC Jim Fink — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 16:35:03 -0400

Have many stories - good and bad-- and my favorite doesnt involve me eating- while in desert storm/ shield - they'd drop off MRE's- each got a case-- well seems it seems the guys found out our PA liked chicken ala king- they would slide the bands off the case - swap out some meals- most times he got 8 CAK's a nd 4 other meals -- he didnt catch on till couple weeks before we came back- we had other chow so the MRE swap wasnt important to the guys -- he opened a case and said dang -- theres only 1 chicken ala king here - we all busted a gut

Response by SFC Jim Fink made Sep 24 at 2015 4:37 PM

SFC Jim Fink — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 16:37:48 -0400

C-rats- pound cake - peaches- pour off peach juice in a nother crat can- add creamer - 2-3 packets- one sugar-- stir fast and hard-- put peaches on pound cake - top with the sauce ya just made --- mmmmm heaven lol

Response by SFC Jim Fink made Sep 24 at 2015 4:41 PM

SFC Jim Fink — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 16:41:50 -0400

1st grtaf trip in 2/41-- out in tents - new private asked if he could warm his beans on our stove - said sure- was talking to my head medic when we heard a dull pop- turned and looked and that bean can looked like a wine keg-- we both yelled run and dove out door- hear a louder- much louder pop and this was followed by said young soldier coming out of tent trying to wipe those hot beans off his head face arms etc -- man what a mess

Response by CPL Jerry Shook made Sep 25 at 2015 2:05 AM

CPL Jerry Shook — Fri, 25 Sep 2015 02:05:20 -0400

I always love reading other peoples responses... As for me, I always bought an extra case of cheese and peanut butter from the cooks. Scrapped all the crap, kept the tabasco, tp, creamer, and the pound cake. Main meals were ones that tasted good being cooked on the hood of the truck while on mission. (Ham slice, spaghetti, ya that was about it...) At about a 1000 calories a piece for the pound cakes they were almost a meal upon themselves! That, and a pack of smokes!

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 29 at 2015 12:57 PM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 12:57:22 -0400

... tasted like paper ... until you mix it with the sauce...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2015 8:04 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 08:04:48 -0400

Iraq, 2003, all we had were T rats.. tamales.. every day for over a month

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 6 at 2015 4:00 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 16:00:55 -0500

i always enjoyed eating last, especially waiting for cold spagetthi with sand in it.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Dec 6 at 2015 9:29 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Sun, 06 Dec 2015 21:29:20 -0500

2003, when we moved up to Balad (LSA Anaconda), V Corps Rear CP, they finally got the outdoor mess hall going. They served T-rats, which were ok, but the only ones they had were the breakfast rats. So you could get breakfast anytime of the day!!
I too remember C rats and still my P38. When the brown bags came out we though wow, until I got a hold of a pork patty. Some of them weren't too bad.
I don't ever remember having a bad meal, because there have been times in my life I didn't have anything to eat! I guess as long as my gut doesn't think my throat has been cut, and I can pinch a loaf the next day, well everything is ok.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 6 at 2016 9:03 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 06 May 2016 09:03:26 -0400

So there I was in the middle of southern Iraq during the invasion. And for the umpteenth week we were having MREs for all three meals, and rationed water to wash it down. An Iraqi man stumbled upon us and through our commo cards, his broken English, and lots of arm flailing we communicated we would pay him to bring us food. We asked him for a live chicken(only way to make sure it wasn't poisoned, we didn't know this dude) and some veggies. He came through, we slaughtered the chicken right there at our OP and made a stew using the spices from the MRE, the crushed red pepper tasted delicious. My squad and I ate great that evening, we didn't get real food for another six months.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made May 13 at 2016 5:20 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Fri, 13 May 2016 17:20:26 -0400

I remember becoming VERY inventive with MREs in the early days of OIF1 before they built the chowhalls.

Response by SPC Sean Giesick made May 21 at 2016 12:08 PM

SPC Sean Giesick — Sat, 21 May 2016 12:08:22 -0400

started with c-rats,beans and weenies were good,MRE'S came along the chicken ala king with ramen noodles and hot sauce were the best and of course on ftx's the marmite cans with chili mac

Response by SPC Kortney Kistler made May 21 at 2016 12:09 PM

SPC Kortney Kistler — Sat, 21 May 2016 12:09:05 -0400

McAlester Army Ammunition Plant operation "can't remember." We were living in GP mediums and they had a few set up for chow tents as well.

Hot breakfast; I had been in the reserves for a few years and hadn't taken it upon myself to try grits. To me they just seemed like they would taste like farina (malt-o-meal). It was zer0-dark-thirty and I was hungry. 7 or 8 hours until lunch so I figured I would load up.

I remember people eating grits with butter and sugar in basic, so I figured I would give it a try. I grabbed the sugar dispenser (glass jar w/a chrome lid-pour spout). I generously toped my grits with sugar. I take a large spoonful and come to find out it was parmesan cheese. It was dark and there were no lights. I was confused and in awe of this strange hearty not sweet taste in my mouth. After a few seconds I determined what the situation was and chowed down.

At the end of my meal I picked up my 8oz cardboard carton of milk, you know the ones that drink down easy like shot on a weekend pass. I started slamming it and to my surprise it hadn't been stored proper, it was sour. I started yelling through the chow tent to check the milk before you drink it. I just about lost my breakfast after drinking that.

Response by SPC Jim Dugan made May 21 at 2016 2:15 PM

SPC Jim Dugan — Sat, 21 May 2016 14:15:01 -0400

In Hohenfels, dark out, tired, starving, get some kind of stew, I'm scarfing it down and I think....Wow, looks like they put fresh ground pepper on this..... Turned on flashlight. It was a bunch of gnats stuck on top. I turned the light off and kept eating.

Response by SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM made May 21 at 2016 2:30 PM

SSG Derrick L. Lewis MBA, C-HRM — Sat, 21 May 2016 14:30:44 -0400

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ,
Exactly as the picture denoted above; coupled with MREs. In Iraq in 2003, I ate 4 MREs per day for six months and lived out of my HEMMT fueler tanker. Kept me on swell though as I worked out on two a days to the let the time pass.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jul 3 at 2017 1:09 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:09:47 -0400

As long as I had a good C-ration or later an MRE, I was one happy camper.

Response by SFC Hal Jeauxdevine, BSM w/"V", MSM, PH, Arcom w/“V” made Jul 3 at 2017 1:18 PM

SFC Hal Jeauxdevine, BSM w/"V", MSM, PH, Arcom w/“V” — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:18:43 -0400

I will never forget being cold, wet and tired in the back woods of Ft. Benning, GA and being handed my first Ham&Eggs C-Ration. The absolute worst thing called food ever.

Response by Capt Dwayne Conyers made Jul 3 at 2017 2:34 PM

Capt Dwayne Conyers — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 14:34:42 -0400

Not to mention, Ken-L-Ration for the service dogs.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2017 2:47 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 14:47:23 -0400

My bachelors degree is in Economics. I always said that if I were to get my masters in Econ and had to write a thesis, it would be on the economics of MRE trading at Ranger School. It's the only place where I've seen the entire MRE consumed. Every edible piece in that bag contained much needed calories and the trading market was as frenzied as the New York Stock Exchange. Friendships were won and lost over things like creamer packets. And if I don't write a thesis I may just write an MRE cookbook.

Response by 2LT Richard Browning made Jul 3 at 2017 3:43 PM

2LT Richard Browning — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 15:43:02 -0400

I don't smoke, but it was sad when they stopped putting cigarettes in the C-rats, because us non smokers could trade cigs to the smokers for their peaches, or John Wayne bars.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2017 10:28 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 22:28:19 -0400

No complaints from me. Food was always good

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Jul 3 at 2017 10:36 PM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 22:36:14 -0400

We used to warm up our C-Rats by placing them in the engine compartment of the helicopter. During one mission, my crew chief put a can of spaghetti and meat sauce in for me. Suddenly, all heck broke loose and we were taking a returning fire, dodging all kinds of nasty things and generally acting like an air crew in a battle. Soon things calmed down and everyone including the aircraft was in one piece. Then we remembered my spaghetti. The chief opened the engine bay door and the can had exploded, spreading meat sauce and pasta into the smallest crevices of the T-58 engine. The crew couldn't clean it and ended up replacing it that night. Most expensive can of spaghetti I didn't get to eat!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jul 3 at 2017 11:18 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 23:18:57 -0400

Ft Knox 1953/54, Wednesdays were K-Ration day. The KPs, (us Soldiers), would open various cans of WW II Rations, dump the contents into a 30 gallon kettle and flee before that mess was served to the troops!

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Jul 3 at 2017 11:41 PM

Cpl Mark A. Morris — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 23:41:45 -0400

My H-harness is good to go with canteen cup and canteen stove. My combat pack is squared away including some MRE meals and apple sauce.
M. Morris RVT

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jul 4 at 2017 11:49 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 11:49:53 -0400

I'm coming at this from a different perspective because I was an Air Force officer and pilot. Consequently, I have to say I didn't have the pleasure of "going to the field" the way Soldiers and Marines do it. As transport aircrew we often flew long missions. Our in-flight meals were the same as those offered to our passengers. They came from the an in-flight kitchen anytime we departed from a US air base in CONUS or OCONUS. Basically a box lunch. Nothing to rave about, but good food. My favorites were fried chicken or roast beef sandwich.

OCONUS we were sometimes at more remote locations or places without a traditional US air base. One of my favorite was NAS Souda Bay Crete. We flew missions between Crete and Germany supporting the Army. If you were lucky, you arranged the mission so you stayed overnight in Crete. When we departed the NAS each morning, the Navy galley provided a large pan of sweet rolls along with our box lunches. Nice.

Instead of MREs, which hadn't been invented yet, or C-rats, we carried a case of "in flights". These were rations designed for aircrews. Not sure why we had special rations. When we did break into the case, we found the food wasn't all that bad. Crackers, roast pork (in a can), fruit and cereal bar, canned fruit. Not great, but not terrible if your are babysitting a broke C-130 at a remote airfield in Turkey. We also had cases of canned water on the aircraft.

Late in my career, I served on a unified command staff and participated in an exercise in Somalia. This was my first encounter with MREs. Hot dogs, beans, chili mac, coffee, crackers, cereal-fruit bars, not bad stuff.

Response by SSG Diane R. made Nov 28 at 2017 9:18 PM

SSG Diane R. — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 21:18:26 -0500

I can't even begin to tell you how many C ration cans of ham and eggs or beans and franks I cooked on a 60 kilowatt generator manifold. Lol

I used to mix the instant coffee and hot chocolate together and heat it in my canteen cup. ♡

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 1 at 2019 8:56 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 20:56:58 -0400

Desert Storm eating a cold pork chow mien, the fat at the top.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2019 9:11 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 21:11:22 -0400

Frozen C-RATS spaghetti, on the DMZ Korea, no firers allowed on patrol in the field, and some how we never saw those heating tablets we were always told about.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made May 19 at 2019 5:56 PM

PVT Mark Zehner — Sun, 19 May 2019 17:56:41 -0400

I remember the dehydrated fruit Patty you could trade in the entire MRE for one

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made May 19 at 2019 6:42 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Sun, 19 May 2019 18:42:59 -0400

MY FAVORITE PARTS OF BASIC TRAINING AND PERMANENT PARTY: BEING OUT IN THE FIELD! SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL!

Response by SGT Steve McFarland made May 19 at 2019 8:04 PM

SGT Steve McFarland — Sun, 19 May 2019 20:04:32 -0400

Field-chow was called C-rations, and yes, it came in a can, along with a P-38 can-opener. I still have three P-38's.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made May 20 at 2019 2:11 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Mon, 20 May 2019 02:11:48 -0400

Well, my friend SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL in 1975 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky we ate k-rations and traded them. Some soldiers preferred to use hot sauce on virtually everything. Some of the draftees in the combat engineer unit were somewhat pycho and they would eat almost anything.
Once a day or so we would get reasonably hot food served in mermite cans.
In those days, field rations included the 4 packs of cigarettes, which were trade-able material.
In the late 1970's, I ate LRRP meal with warm water a few times which was interesting; but, not tasty :-). We were warned to never eat LRRP's dry and then drink water because they would bloat upside you.
In 1977, I killed a chicken, after soothing it by placing a wing over its head and stroking it until I twisted its neck and helped prepare it in a field soup.
Throughout the late 1970's and into the 1980's we continued to eat k-rations and generally had a hot meal once a day using mermite cans delivered to wherever we were. Sometimes we ate breakfast at dinner time :-)

Images:
1. MCI_Box_1971_01
2. C-ration John Wayne Bars and crackers.
3. Mermite can
4. C-ration - cigarettes.j

Response by LTC Philip Marlowe made Jul 26 at 2019 6:20 PM

LTC Philip Marlowe — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 18:20:55 -0400

I admit I liked the "C" ration. When I was on Okinawa ('71), we had a typhoon and were stuck in the barracks for 4 days. We ate "C" rations that had been canned in the early 1960s....still good. I especially enjoyed the 'John Wayne Bars'. Was still eating C's in the field in early '80s and remember well the transition to MREs.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Feb 26 at 2021 4:53 PM

SSG John Jensen — Fri, 26 Feb 2021 16:53:35 -0500

in '43 we sent $3 billion worth of food to Russia - when a Soviet Hero opened a can of Spam, he would joke to his comrades "Let's open a second front"!

Still have a P-38 on my keyring - going thru the metal detector at the courthouse, the sheriff's Deputies were going nuts "It's A Blade!!" - it's a quarter inch long, what are you going to cut with it? - they didn't hear that, they were still going nuts about me having a blade with me.

When they made the MREs they took away the taste of the can, thats why they were tasteless.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Feb 28 at 2022 4:16 PM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:16:02 -0500

VC liked the cans too, they turned them into grenades and booby traps. Personally I liked C Rats, the pork slices were good, spaghetti and meatballs, beenie weenie. A little Tabasco good to go.

Response by Sgt Dale Briggs made Feb 28 at 2022 4:31 PM

Sgt Dale Briggs — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:31:05 -0500

My first C rat was sitting on one of the abandoned runways on Parris Island, it was pork slices. Didn’t bother to heat it just eat it.

Response by SPC Steven Depuy made Feb 28 at 2022 5:29 PM

SPC Steven Depuy — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 17:29:37 -0500

I had my favorites, but from the MRE stories I hear, might have been better off, lol.

Response by SSG Robert Vernon made Feb 28 at 2022 6:30 PM

SSG Robert Vernon — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 18:30:18 -0500

I can always remember my days in the 1980s where we would be doing exercises in the field and when receiving our rations near any village the families would bring really good home cooking to trade off for the rations , for the most part I had a very good Home cooked meal everyday we was out doing field exercises, Of Course I still have my very 1st p-38 I ever received in Fort Benning Ga.

Response by SSG Harry Herres made Feb 28 at 2022 6:54 PM

SSG Harry Herres — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 18:54:20 -0500

C-Rats first meal 1959 last 1975. Better than LRPs never had MREs.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 28 at 2022 8:12 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 20:12:12 -0500

Our meals in the field duck. The Germans had beer and the French had wine. We had water out of a plastic canteen.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Feb 28 at 2022 8:59 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 20:59:09 -0500

The best Thanksgiving dinner of all time was in Kuwait which was flown in by a Blackhawk. We ate so much that we sprawled on our tanks, then we eat more food that we stole.

Response by CW3 Paul Fitch made Mar 1 at 2022 11:50 AM

CW3 Paul Fitch — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:50:33 -0500

As a unit, our Assault Helicopter Company (195th AHC) often found ourselves away from our home field at lunch time. We carried C-rats for such occasions. Often we would have a new crew chief or gunner and we like to play a trick on them. We would extol the tasty Spaghetti and teach them how to heat this delicacy over a stove made of cake cans and using C-4 as fuel. We explained that the stove worked better out of the wind and showed them how to get it lit in the cargo compartment. (I know, but we figured we were going to die anyway, little matter how). The unsuspecting newby would set everything up and get the stove lit and put the can (opened on the top) on the stove. Shortly thereafter, the bottom of the spaghetti would boil but the spaghetti created a seal until the pressure built up to ejection velocity. The spaghetti would "explode" and cover the top of the cargo compartment with red sauce and spaghetti. The newby then spent the rest of his lunch period cleaning up the mess. Boys will be boys.

Response by Cpl Craig Howard made Mar 4 at 2022 4:59 PM

Cpl Craig Howard — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 16:59:39 -0500

I was in the early days of the MRE, and we actually had a class in how to eat them. Cracks me up. Most memorable meals were the Green Eggs in the field at 29 Stumps. Always wondered where the Ham was.

Response by SMSgt Michael Gleason made Mar 26 at 2022 1:14 PM

SMSgt Michael Gleason — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 13:14:10 -0400

Summer, 1968: Infantry Tactics training, somewhere in the heart of Kisatchie National Forest, "North Fort" ("Tiger Land") of Fort Polk, Louisiana. They brought "chow" out to us in the field. It was a pork and potatoes in gravy main course, but they brought no cutlery. The only choice for most of the company was to eat with their fingers. Fortunately for me, I had an aunt who insisted that I learn to eat with chopsticks when I was just five years old (she said it was a "survival skill")! Using my bayonet, I cut a couple of branches from a tree, and ate my meal with my improvised "chopsticks" (I've always hated getting my hands any messier than I absolutely have to!). As for "C-Rats", the one most vivid in my memory was the "Chopped Ham with Lima Beans". It looked like canned puke.

Response by SGT Ram Upadhyaya made May 22 at 2022 4:02 PM

SGT Ram Upadhyaya — Sun, 22 May 2022 16:02:24 -0400

As part of the first soldiers assigned to the newly reactivated 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, NY, it was vital to the mission that we became combat-ready ASAP. So, despite getting every durable and non-durable item brand new, most of our NCO's and officers had to learn along with us as we assembled everything for the first time. Like most units, we went to the field for training for months at a time. I was a medic in C CO, and our mission was to assemble and run a division treatment station for the light infantry and other units associated with the 10th Mtn. As an ambulance driver, I know that I had it a lot better than most; not having to carry every piece of my TA-50 into the field on my back. But I definitely had my dislikes about the field. One of those were the ghastly meals rejected by Ethiopians or MRE's. I could stomach the pork and beans, but I rarely ever got one of those. It was usually the dehydrated beef or ham which barely passed for edible. There were highlights, though, like when the Division's cooks came to the field and set up T-rats. God, that was a great day when we got T-rats instead of MRE's!
On one particular occasion, I was waiting in line for my share of T-rats, at least three paces separated me and the soldier in front of me (we socially distanced back in the 80's, even before it was cool). What a treat! Waking up before the sun for stand-to and having your commander tell you and your soldiers, "no MRE's today, we're taking the convoy to Division HQ for T-rats!" My mouth started watering immediately. Why? Because the worst of T-Rats; some kind of scalloped potatoes and ham concoction, was better than the best MRE's any day of the week. Not hard on the cooks, either. All they had to do is lower the sealed metal trays into boiling water for a few minutes, open them up and scoop out the contents onto the cardboard tray held by the soldier in front of them who eyed the hot goodness like a ravenous wolf eyes its first meal in days.
So there I was, about to get my whatever-it-was-but-I-don't-care-because-it's-hot slopped onto my plate, when the sweet aroma of dessert entered my nostrils. Could it be? This was the holy grail of T-rats! At the end of the line, the tray containing dessert was none other than that apple pie filling, just like mom used to scoop out of the can, and we were getting it for dessert!!! Suddenly, one of the range cadre set off a smoke grenade in the middle of the camp and screamed, "gas, gas, gas!" We all donned our protective masks and took cover until the "all clear" was given. No matter. I didn't care about this routine training drill, nothing could spoil my day. I was getting T-rats! I took my place back in line and picked up my cardboard tray and plasticware, ready to savor the yummy goodness of my first hot meal in weeks. No matter how bad the chow is; hunger makes the best gravy.
That's when I saw the cooks dumping the contents of the T-rats in the garbage. "What the HELL are you doing?" I cried. "These rations were contaminated by a chemical attack, we can't use them now." Another cook opens up a box and starts handing out MREs. My heart sank. "B-But, it was just smoke, we're just training, that wasn't really an NBC attack," I lamented. "We gotta play the game like it's real, sorry, these T-rats are contaminated," the cook replied and he said, "here ya go." He handed me an MRE. Oh great. Dehydrated beef.