Ease of aquiring rations

[rationtin440]

Please bear with me folks because I have a terrible feeling that I've asked this before (could just be de javu though..... ) but I'm curious about the ease or difficulty of aquiring military rations in the countries represented here in forums. Here in the U.S. it was always my understanding that a soldier could not sell MREs while in uniform and at say a national guard armory or in an alley behind the commissary, hence the warning "commercial resale unlawful" as well as the similar warning on UK rations. As for sales at surplus stores, well, you can find pretty much anything (if you're lucky and willing to pay some ridiculous prices) from a dehydrated beef patt MRE to the most recent menu selections. I'm just wondering how easy it is to buy stuff where members live say in Australia, UK, Japan, Germany, and other places besides the U.S. as far as legal issues. Thanks, and please forgive my terrible memory!

[rationtin440]

Also to avoid any confusion with my posting, I meant the military rations of those countries outside the U.S., not necessarily American MREs, but that would be interesting as well, thanks.

[Apocalypse]

I've yet to come across IMPs for sale in any surplus store or yard sales here, but there may be better chances in a bigger city. Mine come from throw aways at work and are few and far between.

[rationtin440]

Thanks for the reply Apocalypse! Do you know what the laws are in Canada regarding the sale of IMPs by the military, or if they are similar to the laws here in the U.S.?

[rationtin440]

My apologies, what I meant to say was do you know the laws in Canada regarding the sale of IMPs that are from the military at say a surplus store or a member of Canada's armed forces selling IMPs, and if they are familiar to the laws here in the U.S.? Sorry for the confusion.

[noderaser]

Has anyone been able to substantiate the claims on the MRE cases to an actual statute? I know the general story is that they should only be available through official supply chains, and therefore any outside the official chain are supposedly stolen, and any sales by military members is questionable as they should only receive them for exercises and missions, not full cases of rations. Knowing the kinds of hoops one has to jump through to properly dispose of government inventory (and potential consequences for not following those regulations) I'd also say that finding them in a dumpster is unlikely--unless we're talking about a dumpster outside DRMO or other supply chain authority that has disposal or disposition authority.

[Apocalypse]

I don't know of any laws in Canada regarding the resale of rations. I assume there's a similar "Don't do it" for Canadian forces as US.

[alcockell]

The British Army's supplier - Vestey Foods - sell into the civilian market through http://www.beyondthebeatentrack.com/

[Ruleryak]

As far as US MREs, I still don't know how much is myth and how much is reality, but it seems like they only find their way off-base legitimately through disposal. One of my friends is a supply sergeant and will once in a great while hook me up with cases her unit's marking as disposed. I don't know if it's age or made-up explanations for disposal though. On eBay, we generally see roughly 2-3 year old cases for sale, indicating they were issued and came home as excess or something like that. When I see brand new issue MREs on eBay I'm pretty suspicious of the origin, always wonder if someone's robbing Uncle Sam to make a few bucks on the side. Old stuff that's getting thrown out or stock that's being replaced, no worries - fresh stuff actually stolen from a storeroom - not ok.

[fdsman]

I don't know of any laws in Canada regarding the resale of rations. I assume there's a similar "Don't do it" for Canadian forces as US.

There is at least one military surplus store in Canada that sells them: http://www.aasurplus.ca/surplus/product ... -mres-imps

I believe I've seen others, however it appears to me as if it is not as common as MRE sales are in US surplus stores.