Ever have that nagging feeling your meals on exercise or ops are cheap
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Ever have that nagging feeling your meals on exercise or ops are cheap
Well you want to be a horse. 
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/othe...2483e4efa72ae5
The daily amount allocated to feed soldiers at sea, on exercise or on operations can be as low as £3.63. This contrasts with a £3,559,742 contract awarded to provide straw, forage and fresh produce for around 540 military horses for three years - the equivalent of approximately £6 a day.
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Neigh, can’t believe it.
Ya suppose the RAF having to settle for mere Three Star catering might be the cause?
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Having been on RW we had to get used to eating on the hoof.
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I recall getting a friend to send some suitable herbs and spices to FI to improve the quality of the SasDet pizzas.
What ever it costs, despite all the jokes about our caterers in field, we have the best by far. I know that the catering course is the hardest course in the Military as no-one has ever passed and that they are also fitters and turners, in that they take the fittest food and turn it into slop. But, every place I have deployed where there are mixed nationality kitchens, the UK chefs consistently produce the best and most palatable food. Even if that is on £3.64 a day! Thank you field chefs, i salute you... indeed, prior to contractorization and PAYD, we used to have outstanding chefs and stewards in every mess.
I think most horses are excellent value for the money; in fact many of them are outstanding in their field.
Incidentally, this reminds me of a nagging question. The last time I renewed my UK military driving permit I had to complete a vote-for-joe test on the Highway Code, one of the questions was along the lines of "A horse-rider on a dual carriageway approaches a roundabout intending to turn right (3rd exit); in which lane should he approach?" I neither know nor care what the answer is but it generated a further question in my mind; does one need a military driving permit in order to drive an MoD horse?
Incidentally, this reminds me of a nagging question. The last time I renewed my UK military driving permit I had to complete a vote-for-joe test on the Highway Code, one of the questions was along the lines of "A horse-rider on a dual carriageway approaches a roundabout intending to turn right (3rd exit); in which lane should he approach?" I neither know nor care what the answer is but it generated a further question in my mind; does one need a military driving permit in order to drive an MoD horse?
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One hopes that the Duty Man would not be a little horse in the morning.
What ever it costs, despite all the jokes about our caterers in field, we have the best by far. I know that the catering course is the hardest course in the Military as no-one has ever passed and that they are also fitters and turners, in that they take the fittest food and turn it into slop. But, every place I have deployed where there are mixed nationality kitchens, the UK chefs consistently produce the best and most palatable food. Even if that is on £3.64 a day! Thank you field chefs, i salute you... indeed, prior to contractorization and PAYD, we used to have outstanding chefs and stewards in every mess.
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The NYtimes recognised our food in Afghanistan as one of the best. Highest mark is 4
https://archive.nytimes.com/atwar.bl...litary-dining/
Rating: 4 Exploding Stars
The Camp Souter DFAC proves that not all British food is bad. Notable for its wide selection, each meal features a tip-top spread fit for the queen – fluffy omelets, rich curries, seasoned roasts, roasted potatoes and sinful chocolate tarts. After dining, step next door to the cafe and catch a lively Premier League match with some boisterous British lads. Just don’t call it soccer. Over all, a brilliant establishment.
https://archive.nytimes.com/atwar.bl...litary-dining/
Camp Souter DFAC
Rating: 4 Exploding Stars
The Camp Souter DFAC proves that not all British food is bad. Notable for its wide selection, each meal features a tip-top spread fit for the queen – fluffy omelets, rich curries, seasoned roasts, roasted potatoes and sinful chocolate tarts. After dining, step next door to the cafe and catch a lively Premier League match with some boisterous British lads. Just don’t call it soccer. Over all, a brilliant establishment.
Unless things have changed, caterers were generally dealing with wooden dollars. They 'bought' foodstuffs using the aggregated daily allowance from the MoD list at MoD set 'prices'. Those prices largely did not vary much, regardless of what was happening in the real world. Some stuff could be bought locally for real money, but not much. An after effect of the great catering scandal of the early 70s.
Jobza,
Accept my apologies I did not mean to demean the rating system.
My experience with US Army leaves me a bit confused.
I started my field chow eperience with Marmite Cans and hot cans of juice as the plastic bottle had not been invented at that time. That lukewarm chow was very similar to what was served in the unit Messhall...just thrown into insulated containers and trucked to the field for consumption what seemed like a week after.
Then upon reaching the two way shooting range in a beautiful tropic paradise....we moved to the old fashioned "C Ration" (Meals, Combat, Canned). some of which dated back to just before the start of the Korean War.
After several month they actually became quite edible, well some versions were anyway.
I shall have to admit Ham and Pinto Beans, Pork and Scalloped Potatoes, took some effort to down....and the Sphagetti and Meatballs consumed cold took a very tough hungry Solider. The Peaches, Pears, Pound Cake were pretty good. We would fist fight to get the Beans and Franks B-2 Meal that had cheese and cracker in it.
Then we discovered LRRP Rations known as LURPS.....which were quick frozen meals that only required the addition of water to make them edible. Chicken and Rice was the favorite.
Finally....along came the infamous MRE style of combat ration.....commonly known as "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians" by the Troops.
I so worry about the health and well being of today's troops that have to live on those thing for more than one meal.
The worst thing I have ever been offered to eat is the MRE is "Pork with Jamaican Jerk Spice added"..... No one in their right. mind would ever eat that.
The one thing we did right in the Army in those days was try the best we could to get a proper Thanksgiving Dinner to every Soldier in the field....and laid on extra flght sorties to accomplish that....most times being involved in the flying I ate C rations as we did not have time to stop for a proper meal.
Last night while enjoying a wonderful meal with some friends.....I thought back to those days in. combat and how much that hot meal meant to the Soldiers in the Bush....and the smiles we saw all around us while we were being unloaded by the Human Ant Column work party.
Accept my apologies I did not mean to demean the rating system.
My experience with US Army leaves me a bit confused.
I started my field chow eperience with Marmite Cans and hot cans of juice as the plastic bottle had not been invented at that time. That lukewarm chow was very similar to what was served in the unit Messhall...just thrown into insulated containers and trucked to the field for consumption what seemed like a week after.
Then upon reaching the two way shooting range in a beautiful tropic paradise....we moved to the old fashioned "C Ration" (Meals, Combat, Canned). some of which dated back to just before the start of the Korean War.
After several month they actually became quite edible, well some versions were anyway.
I shall have to admit Ham and Pinto Beans, Pork and Scalloped Potatoes, took some effort to down....and the Sphagetti and Meatballs consumed cold took a very tough hungry Solider. The Peaches, Pears, Pound Cake were pretty good. We would fist fight to get the Beans and Franks B-2 Meal that had cheese and cracker in it.
Then we discovered LRRP Rations known as LURPS.....which were quick frozen meals that only required the addition of water to make them edible. Chicken and Rice was the favorite.
Finally....along came the infamous MRE style of combat ration.....commonly known as "Meals Rejected by Ethiopians" by the Troops.
I so worry about the health and well being of today's troops that have to live on those thing for more than one meal.
The worst thing I have ever been offered to eat is the MRE is "Pork with Jamaican Jerk Spice added"..... No one in their right. mind would ever eat that.
The one thing we did right in the Army in those days was try the best we could to get a proper Thanksgiving Dinner to every Soldier in the field....and laid on extra flght sorties to accomplish that....most times being involved in the flying I ate C rations as we did not have time to stop for a proper meal.
Last night while enjoying a wonderful meal with some friends.....I thought back to those days in. combat and how much that hot meal meant to the Soldiers in the Bush....and the smiles we saw all around us while we were being unloaded by the Human Ant Column work party.