Afield ration is a type of prepackagedmilitary ration designed to be easily and quickly prepared and consumed in thefield, incombat, at thefront line, or where eating facilities are otherwise unavailable.[1][2] Field rations are primarily used bymilitary forces, though they are also sometimes distributed to civilians as part ofhumanitarian aid andemergency management.[3][4][5]
Field rations differ fromgarrison rations andfield kitchen provisions, which are intended for where proper meals can be supplied and prepared with relative ease and safety, such as in therear wherelogistics are steady and fresh food can be supplied. They are similar to, but distinct from, other purpose-designed long-lasting types of food or rations such asemergency rations,humanitarian daily rations, andcamping food.
Names used for field rations vary by military and type, and includecombat ration,ration pack,battle ration,iron ration,food packet,operational ration pack, ormeal ready-to-eat (MRE); the latter is widely used but informal, and more accurately describesa specific U.S. field ration, the design and configuration of which has been used worldwide since its introduction in the late 20th century. Field rations may be divided into two types:individual rations, which are intended to sustain a single soldier; andgroup rations, which are intended to sustain multiple soldiers in numbers ranging from afireteam to aplatoon.
A typical field ration consists of:[6][7]
Field rations may come in different varieties, or carry multiple meals, forbreakfast,lunch,dinner, orsupper.Vegetarian,vegan, andreligious diet variants may be available if a military's demographics necessitate them. Specialized variants of field rations may exist for different environments, situations, and roles, such ascold-weather warfare,mountain warfare,jungle warfare,desert warfare,long-range reconnaissance patrols, andvehicle crew variants.[8][9]
The meals offered in a field ration often come in multiple different "menus" (varieties) predominantly featuring foods from a military's national or traditionalcuisine—and, if diverse enough and possible under the constraints of a field ration,fusion cuisine such assoul food orAnglo-Indian cuisine—intended to evoke the "taste of home" while on deployment or away.[10][11] Some rations include commercially available items, often snacks such asTootsie Rolls,Charms, andYorkie bars. However, basic or less-accommodating rations (usuallyemergency rations) may consist of very simple meals intended to provide enough nutrients and energy to keep a soldier combat-ready or alive, likecompressed food bars.[12]
Field rations are commonly issued to land forces such asarmies,marines, andair force ground forces, who may spend lengthy periods of time away from fixed food sources.Navies andair forces are not commonly issued field rations as they are closely attached to the rear or steady supplies of food, prepared ingalleys aboardnaval vessels and flight kitchens atair bases. Rations may still be issued to personnel in certain situations or roles, like long-range flight rations forbomber,transport, andreconnaissance aircraft crews, who could otherwise spend hours in flight without food.[13][14]
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As field rations are intended to last long, the packaging they are stored in is designed to ensure a long shelf life and prevent spoilage, while also being light and compact enough to be carried without issue.[15] Rations arecanned,vacuum-sealed, orfreeze-dried foods stored in packages to prevent leakage or spoilage, commonlyretort pouches,boxes, orcases. These containers are preferably easy to open anywhere, though some may require specific tools that are issued to soldiers or included in the ration package,[16] such as the AmericanP-38 can opener or Australianfield ration eating device. Some, but not all, ration packages may bebiodegradable orcompostable.[17]
NATO categorizes ration packaging under three types:[16]
NATO bases the nutritional content requirement on a reference soldier weighing 79 kg (174 lb), who on normal operations would have an energy expenditure of approximately 3,600 kcal per day. For combat operations, energy expenditure is estimated to be 4,900 kcal per day; however, this is seen to be a worst-case scenario.[16]
| Minimum Nutrient Content Standards | Additional Nutrient Content Recommendations | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrient | Value | Nutrient | Value |
| Energy | 3,600kcal (15,070kJ) | Total fiber | 30 g |
| Carbohydrate | 404–584g | Riboflavin | 1.3 mg |
| Protein | 118–185 g | Niacin | 16 mg |
| Fat | 54–140 g | Pantothenic acid | 6 mg |
| Vitamin A | 900 μg | Biotin | 30 μg |
| Thiamin | 1.2 mg | Vitamin E | 10 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.3 mg | Vitamin K | 70 μg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.4 μg | Choline | 550 mg |
| Folate | 400 μg | Phosphorus | 1,000 mg |
| Vitamin C | 45 mg | Iodine | 150 μg |
| Vitamin D | 5 μg | Selenium | 55 μg |
| Calcium | 1000 mg | Molybdenum | 45 μg |
| Zinc | 14 mg | Copper | 1.8 mg |
| Iron | 8 mg | Chromium | 35 μg |
| Magnesium | 410 mg | Manganese | 5.5 mg |
| Potassium | 3,800 mg | Fluoride | 4 mg |
| Sodium | 2,300–12,000 mg | ||
Field rations can be eaten at any temperature, but are preferably heated or cooked.[10] However, as the use of cooking appliances or fire may be unavailable or tactically unwise,smokelesssolid fuel and aportable stove are typically included in rations to heat meals.Hexamine fuel tablets have traditionally been preferred, though gelatinizedethanol is also sometimes used.[18][19] Some modern field rations use aflameless ration heater instead of fuel tablets.
NATO standardization states that, while main courses and entrées must be consumable without heating, main course components and hot beverages should be provided with a heater, with such items intended to be heated to a minimum temperature of 62 °C from an ambient temperature of 20 °C within 12 minutes.[16]
The shelf life of rations depends on the type and purpose, including how long the ration is intended to be used or kept until logistics and steady food supplies can reach the front lines. Per NATO standardization, the shelf life of a field ration from the time of delivery must be at least 24 months at a storage temperature of 25 °C; individual rations are designed to be used for a period of 30 days, after which fresh food should be given and medical screening should be conducted for nutritional deficiencies.[16]
Military rations have existed since the beginnings of organizedwarfare. Some form of military food distribution and ration system has existed in practically every region and recorded era in history.[20] However, for the most part, food actually brought into the field with military forces was uncommon; most of what could be considered "field rations" were, until around theearly modern period, stable ingredients (such asgrains), easily or already preserved foods, food soldiers brought with them, andlivestock.[20][21] As most reliable food preservation methods did not exist, military food at the time focused more on foods that could keep and transit well, such ashardtack, rather than foods that were nutritious.[22] Modern field rations took recognizable forms with the inventions of airtight food preservation,tin cans, andpasteurization in the 19th century.[21][23] Canned and preserved rations became standard in bothWorld War I andWorld War II, with modern ration configurations being developed and becoming standard during and after theCold War.[11][20][21][24]
As of the 21st century, the vast majority of the world's militaries issue their own field rations, with different varieties of food based on national and cultural considerations. Many use 20th century-style packaging such as cans, boxes, and vacuum-sealed packaging, though some newer rations use retort pouch-based packaging.
Combat rations (sometimes known as field rations) were nutritional meals created specifically for troops in the battlefield. They were compact, lightweight, pocket-sized foods that were canned, pre-packaged bars, or freeze-dried and provided the right amount of nutrition and sustenance.
how do you justify $15 a day for South Vietnamese being housed in tents, and being fed with Army field rations?
Foodstuffs (military field rations): 50,000
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