Carrying rations

[rationtin440]

In the U.S. military, MREs are pretty easy to carry as they can fit in the cargo pocket of the uniform, but for some of the rations from say the UK and Germany, it appears that some of the stuff in them has packaging that could be easily punctured, so I'm wondering how the forces carry their rations. In the UK webgear there are utility pouches but not sure if they would hold an entire 24-hr ration. Not sure how Bundeswehr webgear is set up for carrying rations.

[housil]

Not sure how Bundeswehr webgear is set up for carrying rations.

Once you got your EPa, you took the single items out of the box and spread them all over your gear. That´s why the single items were very solid but the box was just a cardboard. Nowadays, they are stored all over the vehicles as our soldiers (in Afghanistan) don´t walk that long/far.

[rationtin440]

Thanks for reply housil! I recall during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the ambulance hummer that I was assigned to, we would throw a case or 2 of MREs on board and our 3-man crew would take them as we got hungry and we had a"spares box" that we would throw MRE parts into that we were not going to eat so we always had something to nibble on if we did not want a complete meal. When I first enlisted in the national guard, we did the same thing with the MCIs on our M-113 ambulance track.

[Daithi]

As infantry in the British Army you break down the ration pack and put one meal plus brew kit plus snacks in your webbing, housed in one mess tin with a hexi burner and the rest is packed into your daysack. More than one days rations go into your bergen. Again we end up with a box full of bits no one wants so you swap for stuff you like or take extras of what you like

[rationtin440]

Thanks for reply Daithi and welcome to the forums! I was wondering about how other countries armed forces carry their rations, because here in the US we of course have the single pouch with the food items in it.

[Daithi]

Having visted the US on exercise and lived on MRE's in the field for a 3 day exercise I can say that from our viewpoint MRE's have two main problems.
1) The Main meal is too small
2) There's way too much packaging to dispose of

Another drama from our viewpoint is the lack of a reliable cooking method. 1 Flamelesss heater is ok for times when you want hot food and can't have any sort of fire going but the lack of something to heat water to cook and make brews in a habour area is a problem for us

[rationtin440]

I agree with you about the packaging excess Daithi, plus I have been trying like heck to get ahold of some UK rations for awhile now because I think you guys do it right with the 24hr concept. Also I'm not sure why the US is one of the very few countries that does not include a folding stove w/fuel instead of the FRH, but oh well.

[RockyRaab]

I agree. Trying to heat a beverage as well as the entree with an FRH is an exercise in frustration. One or both will be only warm at best. My only use of MREs is on day-long fishing trips/ overnight camping. That's why I always pack my Swedish cook kit along. I can heat the entree as well as the beverage bag in boiling water and still have hot clean water left for other uses.

A soldier afield would be able to do the same thing with an esbit stove and his canteen cup. Adding a stove of some kind and some fuel tabs would be insignificant with the goddawful weight these guys are already carrying. And why else do MREs come with matches?

[housil]

How often have the soldiers (in combat) heat up their rations in e.g. a ditch?
I guess (ours in Afghanistan) usually have access to their vehicles means access to electricity so they can use an electric ration heater:



I in person like the tommy cooker way or a fuel stove but I don´t know if this is still "up to date"?

[RockyRaab]

I rather suspect, my good friend, that the very first technology discovered will also be the last to vanish: fire.