Food [and a little of everything else] at Stalwart Guardian 04

[Supply]

Just a perspective from a Supply Tech, once the IMP's are issued to the troops they are considered to be writting off.

 

[Scott]

I figured as much, like I said, how do you recover a field stripped IMP?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Thanks supply.

I wasn't tactical in the field so the rats just came in a box and were handed out to the troops. I just stashed mine in my kitbag. Someone felt like it was important to tell the chain of command that i had rations left over and should give them back.  Kinda thought I was right in that i didn't have to give them back but i didn't want to make a big deal about it.

I'm actually thinking of ordering some american rations to bring on ex's. Use them here and there to spice things up and have a little change. Their also great for trading
Does anyone know of any companies where i could get cheap american MREs  or how much is a good price per MRE/box?

 

[Scott]

Ghost, check the link I supplied above or go onto e-bay and do some searching, lots of stuff there

 

[Jarnhamar]

Yup checking ebay. thought you guys may have known someone. NP.

<---- Will sell IMPs to hungry troops

 

[rounder]

Ok... I understand that people bitch and complain about eating IMP's. Frankly I agree. It is a total escape of responsibility from our brigade / area leadership. I will support this by stating a well known fact "The difference between a professional army and a non professional army is logistics". So why is the area / brigade not employing this vital branch of logistics in the most important / expensive exercise in reserve history? I'm a section commander and I don't mind the IMP's, but the real questions is, can these A echelon guys do their job? If so, and no doubt they can, when do they exercise?

If anyone wants to challenge me on this please do.
mike_t27@hotmail.com

 

[Bartok5]

Hmmmm, I will "challenge" you.   If I understand the context correctly, you deploy on an exercise of 10-14 days duration once per year.   And you expect to recieve fresh rations in lieu of hard rations, or at least a fresh ration "break" every so often.   And then it didn't happen while you deployed on Ex STALWART GUARDIAN.

So OK "Rounder",

I am  "challenging" you.

Suffice it to say that I am almost (but not quite) at a loss for words.   My goodness - there you were in the field for a week (maybe more?), and you didn't get a fresh pizza and two cold beer.   Wow....I'm starting to feel as if we could bond......NOT.   It is high time that you learned to "Suck it up buttercup".  

Hard rations WILL sustain you indefinitely.   You WILL grow tired of the repetitive menu, despite the fact that it is the best in the world.   But you WILL be fed, and fed well.   If you are on an operational deployment, there will be more rations that you can eat.   Still hungry?   Fine, help yourself to another box.

Try eating hard rations for 6 months in the Afghan desert, and then start pissing and moaning about how your week-long exercise sucked because you didn't get your fresh breakfast.   Sorry, no sympathy here.   Suck it up, and soldier on.   If rations were your biggest concern, then your soldiering priorities are sadly misplaced.

And now I shall take deep breaths and relax....    

 

[Infanteer]

What I am worried about is that rather then address issues about combat arms training (tactics, techniques, drills and exercise scenarios, etc, etc) people would rather whine about the food they got.

As Mark stated "If rations were your biggest concern, then your soldiering priorities are sadly misplaced."

Did you guys learn anything from Stalwart Guardian besides the fact that you didn't get the pizza and ice cream you were expecting?


Food is a crutch.

 

[Pikache]

Actually, there were two fresh meals during the ex.

Frankly, I was surprised.

 

[Alex252]

What type of meals can come with a IMP. Since im not in the army i cant make a opinion but they dont sound that bad. Would it basically be eating a frozen tv dinner for 8 days?

 

[gun plumber]

I personally like most of them.Some on the other hand are heinious.
Favs-Beans and weiners
       Sausge and hash browns
       Beef and veg stew(not sure if this one still exists...)
      anything that can be mistaken for chef boyarde
Worst meal ever-salmon!
Just a Question-has anyone else noticed that the "extras" don't match the meal?

 

[scm77]

2002 IMP menu.

http://www.mreinfo.com/imp_menus.html

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Ok... I understand that people ***** and complain about eating IMP's. Frankly I agree. It is a total escape of responsibility from our brigade / area leadership. I will support this by stating a well known fact "The difference between a professional army and a non professional army is logistics". So why is the area / brigade not employing this vital branch of logistics in the most important / expensive exercise in reserve history? I'm a section commander and I don't mind the IMP's, but the real questions is, can these A echelon guys do their job? If so, and no doubt they can, when do they exercise?
If anyone wants to challenge me on this please do.
mike_t27@hotmail.com

I was the Exercise Director for both Ex STALWART GUARDIAN 03 and 04, so I will give you a little background on the decisions that were made with respect to the Ration Plan.

Cost was a factor.  Fresh rations and IMPs come from different budgets.  IMPs are purchased centrally by National Procurement, whereas fresh rations come directly from the exercise budget. 

The bar was raised significantly this year for the CSS troops.  They were given more tactical tasks, and resupply was tactical from Day 1.  We had to carefully guage what could and could not be achieved.

We did not have enough "flying kitchens" to outfit each unit - and even if we did, we did not have nearly enough cooks.  Tours overseas, outsourcing in Garrison Kitchens etc have eaten into that trade significantly.

Based on all of that, I told the logistics planning staff to run the figures for a minimum of 3 meals and a maximum of 6 meals fresh on the exercise.  I ultimately decided on 3 meals, predominantly due to cost.

If there was a "leadership failure" anywhere in the system, as has been suggested, the fault liies entirely with me.  I personally made the decision, and stand by it.  Moreover, as COS of EXCON, I ensured that all pers on the exercise, including EXCON, were on the same ration plan. 

Did people abuse the system - yes they did.  Those unauthorised personnel that went to the Garrison Kitchen cost the EX close to $300K in unforecast expenditures.  It got to the point that on two separate occassions I stood in front of Normandy Court and challenged SG pers that were going in for a meal - which was clearly not an efficient use of my time.

The bottom line is that many factors were considered before the ration plan was established - and then people still didn't follow orders.

As an aside, we faced the same conundrum for BTE 03.  Based on fundinig limitations, the original plan was for 27 of the 30 days to be IMP.  Eventually the Comd ordered that we go to 15 days fresh vice 3, and we found savings elsewhere in the budget.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Did people abuse the system - yes they did.  Those unauthorised personnel that went to the Garrison Kitchen cost the EX close to $300K in unforecast expenditures.

Troops sneaking up to for a meal. That really pisses me off. Whats even worse is when you need a vehicle but it's still gone because buddy is sneaking a shower or meal.  Worst still is having to have an officer babysit the troops.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Worst still is having to have an officer babysit the troops.

Absolutely true.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

PPCLI GUY, Next time hire Slim and myself for $100,000 to keep the not requirings out.We have a little experience that might help and a net savings of.....oh wait Slim and I have to eat. ;D

 

[rounder]

Mark C,

   I think I may have not properly explained my point as well as I should have. I really couldn't care if we were on IMP's or not. Now, unlike you, I have not been on them for more than 13 days, but back to my point. If field kitchens, as part of a logistical support unit is part of our Army, and I'm sure they are, when do they exercise???? Ex SG was apparently the be all to end all exercises, so Mark, where were they?Exercises are not just for combat arms.

 

[rounder]

Did people abuse the system - yes they did.  Those unauthorised personnel that went to the Garrison Kitchen cost the EX close to $300K in unforecast expenditures.  It got to the point that on two separate occassions I stood in front of Normandy Court and challenged SG pers that were going in for a meal - which was clearly not an efficient use of my time.

PPCLI guy,

  I thought that the Area Comd forbid anyone to go into Normandy Court, or was this 300K a VIP expenditure. Quite frankly sir I am appalled that this happened. No failure of leadership from my POV. Let me ask you this, when do these kitchen staff exercise? That has been my real point.

 

[Infanteer]

Someone should ambush the Field Kitchens and carry off the Wonderbread to sustain future insurgency operations.

Honesty, nothing annoys me more then the "half-tactical" situations - like when the OC says "Stay in that muddy hole and be quiet, we're tactical" and then goes into the well lit and heated mod tent down the road.  Its either go hard or go home.

Enemy Force, with suitable WES (MILES), should be put in its area, told to attack the enemy, and act accordingly.   If this means attacking admin areas and taking prisoners and supplies in the process, leaving the guys at the front without beans and bullets, then the Enemy Force commander scores points for attacking the cohesion of his opponent through indirect methods.   I think Rounder makes a good point when he states that "Exercises are not just for combat arms."

 

[rounder]

Enemy Force, with suitable WES (MILES), should be put in its area, told to attack the enemy, and act accordingly.  If this means attacking admin areas and taking prisoners and supplies in the process, leaving the guys at the front without beans and bullets, then the Enemy Force commander scores points for attacking the cohesion of his opponent through indirect methods.

LOVE IT!!!! Never gonna happen. In my unit the En force are usually Tpt reps and recruits!!!