Speaking of reviews...

[RockyRaab]

If you haven't found him yet, may I introduce you to the guy who is in my opinion the best MRE reviewer now on the 'net? He goes by gshultz9 and has a whole series of youtube videos - some of which feature his adorable little girls - reviewing MREs, TOTMs, and even an international ration pack. Here's the link. http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx0dBY3QNmUeil1f6prRx_Q

[housil]

Great find, thanks for sharing.

[cutsman]

Yeah, that guy's terrific. I've been watching him do his thing for awhile now and figured that he references this site so often that the faculty knew about him.

[gschultz9]

Thank you for the kind words gentlemen! I'm gschultz9. I have been on the MRE Info board for a couple years, but don't post very often. I've considered posting some of my reviews here, but since they're video reviews I wasn't sure if they'd be appropriate in the "Ration Reviews" forum. At the same time, the "MRE/Ration Videos" forum seems more geared toward all sorts of videos about MREs that people find on YouTube and other places. Wasn't sure if it was the right" place for review vids. Anyway, I'm glad that some people from here have seen my videos and seem to think they're okay. I started a couple years back with a couple of "tribute" videos that were meant to pay homage to the great MREJap (Kato). Unfortunately, some people thought I was being a racist or trying to make fun of Kato because I was trying to imitate his style. Luckily some fans of his got the point of it all.

I've done quite a few of my MRE review videos at this point. It's probably "enough" to cover most everything, but people are still watching them and asking for more. I guess that as long as there's a market and demand for them I'll keep making them. While the vast majority of my videos are just reviews of standard genuine issue MREs (and some commercial ones too), I have tried to mix things up with more interesting stuff from time to time. I compared a 1986 Beef Patty MRE to one from 2007, reviewed a French RCIR (that a very generous subscriber sent to me from France!) and made reviews of two MCWs (one was just put up a couple weeks ago).

My interest in MREs started back when I was playing Army as a kid. I remember getting some C-Rations from Army/Navy stores in the early 80s and then getting an MRE from my brother when he was in the Marines in 1982 or so. I was in the Army myself from 1987 to 1989 and had more than my share of those old brown bag MREs during that time. Around the time of 9/11 I was thinking of the troops heading over to Iraq and sudden;y thought about MREs again. It had been many years since I'd had one and I was interested in seeing what they were like at that point. Bought a few off eBay and was hooked on the novelty of military rations all over again. I certainly had some personal experience with MREs when I started making videos about them, but MRE Info has been an invaluable resource for me. I mention the site often in my videos as the most informative place to find answers to all questions relating to MREs. Sorry for the long "introduction", but I just wanted to respond to this post and explain myself a bit.

[housil]

Thx for the introduction. I´m also one of your youtube fans

[rationtin440]

Wow, 1-Each, talk about a small world! I worked at the Auburn Mall both at Sears and as mall security back in the 1980s, before doing a tour of the sandbox as an ambulance crewman. I too enjoy your reviews, and I've been out in your part of the state looking for MREs but unfortunately all I found was Metro-West Surplus in West Boylston, right down the street from that former Air Force communications site that is now a Massachusetts DCR site on Rt.12, and that store is very expensive. Army Barracks in West Springfield definately has better deals but still expensive, eventhough it is closer to me than West Boylston. Anyway, keep up the awesome work, I love your youtube stuff!

[rationtin440]

1-Each, I hope that I have not confused you on what I was saying about being closer to Army Barracks; I used to live in Barre MA when I worked in Auburn but now I'm in eastern Hampshire County, near Ware MA. and Army Barracks is about the only store around me that sells MREs.

[gschultz9]

When listing the more "interesting" reviews I've put up on YouTube above I somehow forgot to mention that I also did a three-part review of a First Strike Ration back in the fall.

Thanks again everyone for the kind words. It means a lot coming from this forum. I know I'm not an "expert" on the subject, but I've been trying to do the best I can. rationtin, thanks for sharing your Small World information! It is strange to think how small and out of the way Auburn is, yet two members of the forum have spent time there. I haven't updated my information here, but we actually moved to Brookline in September 2012. But I was in Auburn for about 10 years. We lived within walking distance to the Auburn Mall (it was a LONG walk, but I'd take my daughters there in the stroller on a pretty regular basis). Made for a good walk. Before moving close to Boston (and not counting time stationed in Kentucky while in the Army) I'd lived in Central Massachusetts all my life. The Auburn Mall was a regular destination for years before I moved to Auburn. It's also funny that you were a security guard there. I did security at one point years after getting out of the service and every time I'd go to a mall (like the one in Auburn) I always pictured myself working security there. Never actually DID, but it was always easy to envision.

Oh, and it's also funny that you mentioned the Army Barracks too. I was always disappointed by the lack of Army/Navy stores in the Worcester area (there used to be a couple years ago, but they haven't been around in years. I never got out to the one in West Boylston, but always meant to. My friends and I used to go into Boston once a year or so to do some shopping and hang out. We always made a point of visiting the Army Barracks store in the Newbury Street area. It moved locations a couple times, but was always around. Moving to Brookline meant that the Boston Army Barracks store was just a short trip on the subway away. And wouldn't you know, I was just there TODAY! The bad news is that the Boston store is closing in two weeks and it will probably be my last visit. The good news is that everything in the store is discounted and I was able to pick up a 2011 case of Menu A MREs for sixty bucks (Mass tax included). It's actually the first full case of genuine MREs I've ever purchased! I'm going to miss the convenience of that store, but at least they still have about 7 others in the chain.

[RockyRaab]

As the thread-starter, may I add my sense of pleasure at learning you are also a poster here? And also add my encouragement that you continue making your most useful videos? (I'm enough of a troglodyte that I have no idea how to make/edit videos; I'm impressed by just that, not to mention the topics.)

As a general comment, I am amazed at the level of expertise and interest this website offers. Folks from all over the world, and all interested in military rations. Astounding.

[rationtin440]

Actually 1-Each, I do recall Charlie's Surplus (Charlie Epstein) near the Worcester Center Galleria (always bought my Iron Maiden stuff at Spencer Gifts in the Galleria) and also The Fair on Rt. 20 in Worcester started selling surplus and even some MCI stuff back in the early-mid 1980s. What I'd love to see more of in reviews is a Cuban Army ration review, a North Korean ration review and a Chinese PLA ration review, I cannot seem to find them anywhere, although I can imagine that they'd be pretty hard to aquire for fairly obvious reasons! Also it's a pretty safe assumption that these rations don't come with a survey for their soldiers to fill out to let them know what to improve on or change in the menu.