In a statement released by the Department of Defense, Jim Garamone of the American Forces Press Service said the reports surfaced “from a few forward operating bases in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province that are closing or being turned over to Afghan security forces.” Colonel Joseph Wawro, the commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, said breakfast and the midnight meal are now MREs (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) at the affected bases, while lunch and dinner are still served hot. He also noted most dining facilities have take-away items like cereal, granola, energy bars, milk, juice, fruit, etc. for supplemental snacking. “This has absolutely nothing to do with the national budget and everything to do with our responsible reduction of forces,” Wawro said. Wawro said the initial complaint may have been raised by a recently arrived unit that was unaware of the recent meal changes. Giertz, however, noted that Braley wrote the letter out of concern for the troops’ morale. “The least we can offer is to get them a good meal,” Giertz said. Registered dietitian and Captain Christina Deehl said while MREs are not very popular among the troops, they do yield all the nutrients a soldier needs to meet one-third of his or her Military Recommended Daily Allowance (MRDA). “When we initially entered Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers were eating MREs every day until we were logistically established. Once again when we draw down and pull out, we will see a similar trend,” Deehl said. Deehl explained that army dietitians regard food as a tactical weapon, as it maintains mental and physical performance. “We would never deprive the soldier of adequate nutrition and that’s just all there is to it,” she said
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:35:53 +0000
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