Veterans Day 2022

I had C rats
On the rare occasion we got hot chow in the field it was T rats (Tray rations - hot food in big aluminum trays like a buffet). We had our own section of Rangers as cooks in the RDF (Ranger Dining Facility) and they were supported by about a dozen highly vetted civilians in the kitchen.

These folks were outstanding at their job and took great care to get us good chow. Not the miserable, fat, sweaty, cigar chewing army chow hall cooks just slopping prison food on a tray that one might envision.

While our first call daily was at 0445 to prep for PT, these guys got up at 0300 to get their PT and hygiene out of the way and then start cooking for 500 men. Studs every one of them.

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On the rare occasion we got hot chow in the field it was T rats (Tray rations - hot food in big aluminum trays like a buffet). We had our own section of Rangers as cooks in the RDF (Ranger Dining Facility) and they were supported by about a dozen highly vetted civilians in the kitchen.

These folks were outstanding at their job and took great care to get us good chow. Not the miserable, fat, sweaty, cigar chewing army chow hall cooks just slopping prison food on a tray that one might envision.

While our first call daily was at 0445 to prep for PT, these guys got up at 0300 to get their PT and hygiene out of the way and then start cooking for 500 men. Studs every one of them.

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Ah yes, TRats. I forgot about them. Back in the day every Armory/Unit had a full Mess Unit and kitchen.

Tonight I'll be eating a nice Ribeye purchased at the Hanscom AFB Commissary recently.

This week I'll drive to Hanscom for a haircut from my favorite Barber, Maryanne, and some booze shopping at the Class VI and a few more steaks at the Commissary.

I received my Ma. rebate check Saturday so I will stop by Hanscom FCU and deposit it. The stupid Ma**h***s just voted to give the State more money even thou there's a budget surplus, stupid is, stupid does. [rofl]
 
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Ah yes, TRats. I forgot about them. Back in the day every Armory/Unit had a full Mess Unit and kitchen.

Tonight I'll be eating a nice Ribeye purchased at the Hanscom AFB Commissary recently.

This week I'll drive to Hanscom for a haircut from my favorite Barber, Maryanne, and some booze shopping at the Class VI and a few more steaks at the Commissary.

I received my Ma. rebate check Saturday so I will stop by Hanscom FCU and deposit it. The stupid Ma**h***s just voted to give the State more money even thou there's a budget surplus, stupid is, stupid does. [rofl]

One good thing about being in the Navy was the 4 square meals served every day. Some were better than others, but overall they weren't C, T or MRE rations and most of the time they were damn good.
 
Even better at a small boat station. I ate better on duty than off.....
We ate at the Coast Guard Station at Otis/Camp Edwards once and it was very good.

The Dining Hall at NAS Keflavik was also very good.

We had great chow at Camp Comanche in Bosnia but I missed the Thanksgiving and Christmas meal because we were out on Patrol on Thanksgiving and in Sarajevo on Xmas. We were NOT happy to miss those meals.:mad:
 
One good thing about being in the Navy was the 4 square meals served every day. Some were better than others, but overall they weren't C, T or MRE rations and most of the time they were damn good.
Mess hall food wasn't awful. MRE's were awful. For the most part.
No wonder we were so lean and mean.
 
They couldn't have become any worse!
Actually, that's not true. The old C and K rations were just nasty.
Rations and equipment get better over time.
Most of the time when we were in the field and they brought out hot chow I'd have rather eaten an MRE.
We lived on MRE's and bottled water for over 2 weeks in New Orleans after Katrina. There's no way you can consume 3 full MRE's a day, I was down to about 2 per day. They still sell new ones at the Commissary, they're over $10 per meal.
 
Lima beans add new meaning to the phrase go green.
I was doing Jeep M-60 convoy escort around Dau Tieng. One kid about 8 years old came up to the road berm looking for a freebie, so I tossed him a can of Ham and Mothers, he couldn't read but knew a bum deal when he saw it. He pitched the can back at me just missing my head like he was Nolan Ryan then yelled, "You numba effing 10 GI". Sir, receiving friendly fire..Bastid
 
"In juices" is almost never a good phrase.

I was in the MRE army, but in the years between 1994 and 2001 they changed dramatically. And for the better. I got out just as they were starting to field the Maple Nut Pound Cake, which was legitimately delicious.
In the late 80's the heaters weren't included with the MRE, if I remember correctly the Pork Patty had to be reconstituted with water and it was called the "bowel bomb" [rofl] It was nasty.
 
In the late 80's the heaters weren't included with the MRE, if I remember correctly the Pork Patty had to be reconstituted with water and it was called the "bowel bomb" [rofl] It was nasty.

I came in just as they were starting to include heaters with the newer MREs, those older ones in the dark-brown bags. I remember they labeled them in black dot-matrix, and if there was even the slightest dust or fading there was no way to tell what was in the damn meal.
 
I came in just as they were starting to include heaters with the newer MREs, those older ones in the dark-brown bags. I remember they labeled them in black dot-matrix, and if there was even the slightest dust or fading there was no way to tell what was in the damn meal.
christ how old are you
 
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