Closing chow hall. Is this legit?

[HOGFAN]

Let me start off by saying that both my husband and I are very supportive of the troops(and the war). A coworkers friend has a son in Iraq. He sent his mom an email saying that most of his platoon was moving to another area and leaving only 100 men in his area. He said they were gonna close the chow hall and he and the other 99 guys were gonna have to eat Iraqi food or survive on whatever "care packages" come their way. Apparently they have a microwave. He was asking for his mom (and anyone else) to send food. My husband is skeptical, says that the military ALWAYS take care of feeding their people. He thinks this guy may be selling the food to the locals. Again, he's not just asking for cookies, snacks, but real food. No flames please. Just want to know if you think the military would neglect them this way.

 

[bicker]

Are we talking about officers and troops, or just officers?

 

[HOGFAN]

I think just troops. Not sure of the guys rank tho.

 

[bicker]

I'd be shocked to know of a deployment of troops without officers.

 

[malibuconlee]

When my FIL was in Germany during the first gulf war they didn't have mess hall facilities to take care of everyone. They received extra money to purchase some of their meals.

I had a friend in Afghanistan a couple of years ago. They were fed one hot meal a day and were given MRE's for the other two (2000 calories each if I remember right!!) They did have a microwave they could use and lots of care packages were sent to her. No it doesn't surprise me.

Dont' get me started about Haliburton and their contracts to supply things to the military. The stories I've heard from friends in the military are astonishing.

On the positive note our local National Guard unit is scheduled to come home before Christmas!!!

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

DH, who has some special insight, says the army does NOT leave troops to fend for themselves. They would at the minimum get MRE's.

The camp he was stationed at this past year, and each one he visited, was known for having great food and plenty of it. They even had ice cream topping bars, lobster and steak on occasion, all the sodas and snacks one could want. "All you can eat" motto. He goggled a blog of his camp once and read someone complaining about the same food he found so good. Guess if it is not "mama's cooking" someone will gripe. He had no gripes about the food, sure some dishes were better than others though. KBR did great in this respect. I kid him that he ate better over there than what I feed him!

A small remote area may have to use MRE's for some meals. I know during Desert Storm DH had these for many days on end. Never did he go hungry though. So no, I don't think the military would neglect them.

 

[TammyJ]

I'm sure they haven't been left to fend entirely for themselves for food. I also doubt he's trying to scam you. Odds are it's a miscommunication. They may be surviving on MREs which will provide for them the nutrients they need and lots of calories. However, there's little joy or comfort in eating a MRE. He was probably asking for "real" food to break the monotony of the MRE. I don't know anything about this soldier's situation but perhaps he should give the Iraqi food a try. I'd ask more about the situation and then by all means send the guy some food.

 

[TammyJ]

He had no gripes about the food, sure some dishes were better than others though. KBR did great in this respect. I kid him that he ate better over there than what I feed him!

My husband just returned from Qatar and had mostly good things to say about the food. Sometimes he thought it was "too good." He had planned on losing weight while deployed. Anyway, when he'd tell me what he had for dinner etc I too thought he was definitely eating better than the kids and I (lots of macoroni and cheese and pizza) and probably better than I normally feed him. I don't know how the food is inside Iraq but DH didn't lose any wieght.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I don't know how the food is inside Iraq but DH didn't lose any wieght.

DH was in Iraq! He has pics of the dining halls, food, smoothie bar, lobster, etc. Lots of guys had to use the exercise rooms to make up for all the goodies they were eating! KBR (Haliburton) has done a good job with dining facilities at the main camps. The food is contracted out and supplied by a food service company. Yes, he did eat better than the kids and I. I was glad when he got home so I had someone to cook REAL foods for!

DH had MRE's 3 times in the 10 months, and 2 of those were while awaiting flights from Kuwait home.

 

[Auggietina]

Even when the mess hall was bombed where dh was in Iraq, they didn't have to fend for themselves. Each battalion was responsible for feeding their own, and they were provided food to prepare. My dh was also on remote missions, and a cook staff was always sent to feed them. This was the only time he complained abou the food, was when his own guys were doing the cooking!

 

[dbarker]

Just my 2 cents. The military will not leave them to their own devices on food. They will get food (maybe MREs). I think this young man was playing on his mom's sympathies so she would send "good" food from home so he wouldn't be stuck eating just MREs. My DS is in USMC and that is like something he would do (play on my sympathies).

 

[SnowAngel]

I recently got out of the Air Force and was stationed in the desert in 2003. The military always feeds its troops with or without a chow hall.. whether with MREs or something else. What he may of meant is they are going to start eating Iraqi food and wanted some american food. I can't see the military letting its service people eating off the economy in Iraq yet. The place is still too unstable with the random killings and bombings going on. It would put them at too much risk.
When I was there an Iraqi food service supported some of the bases.. food wasn't too bad but then I'll eat anything