Stupid GI Tricks

[LBraden]

The British Army Biscuit, by the Official Secrets Act, I cannot tell you what they are used for now, but damn its bloody effective at its current job (and anyone who as eaten them have a GOOD idea how hard these things are, and may twig)

Seriously, running gag that some squaddies think is that the old biscuits are now being used as auxiliary armour on the light tanks.

[Legbreaker]

Or the Cereal, Compressed in the Australian Rat packs. Mind you, I quite liked the taste even if they did require your teeth to be recapped every so often...

[dragoon500ly]

Back in the day, when C-Rations were the main meal of choice...the most hated one was the Ham & Lima Beans ration. Heated, this one was disgusting, eaten cold....well let's just say that if given the choice of taking on a grizzily or eating H&L, well Mr. Grizzily, two falls out of three

Favorite joke passed around was that H&L was intended for prisioner interrogation, sort of "talk or we'll make you eat more!"

Of course, the H&L did have its usage. During on FTX we were "completely tactical", no lights, no radios, no fires, no visible signature. Normally, this is not a problem, but it was the middile of winter in Ft Hood, with a nice "norther" blowing and dumping snow and 15degree weather. Our fearless company commander had been a serious "pita" since his assignment to the company and it was decided to teach him a little lesson. The line platoons raided the CP after hours while the captain was at a meeting with the Bn CO, we left two cases of c-rations for the "midrats", knowing that only the captain would be indulging. And yes we took to time to load 24 Ham & Lima Bean meals.

When he came back and grabbed a charlie-rat, hearing the sudden outburst of cursing come out of the CP was music to our ears.

[Abbott Shaull]

Back in the day, when C-Rations were the main meal of choice...the most hated one was the Ham & Lima Beans ration. Heated, this one was disgusting, eaten cold....well let's just say that if given the choice of taking on a grizzily or eating H&L, well Mr. Grizzily, two falls out of three

Favorite joke passed around was that H&L was intended for prisioner interrogation, sort of "talk or we'll make you eat more!"

Of course, the H&L did have its usage. During on FTX we were "completely tactical", no lights, no radios, no fires, no visible signature. Normally, this is not a problem, but it was the middile of winter in Ft Hood, with a nice "norther" blowing and dumping snow and 15degree weather. Our fearless company commander had been a serious "pita" since his assignment to the company and it was decided to teach him a little lesson. The line platoons raided the CP after hours while the captain was at a meeting with the Bn CO, we left two cases of c-rations for the "midrats", knowing that only the captain would be indulging. And yes we took to time to load 24 Ham & Lima Bean meals.

When he came back and grabbed a charlie-rat, hearing the sudden outburst of cursing come out of the CP was music to our ears.

Let me guess he seem to have all the good c-rats before they distributed to the troops.

I am sure your units wasn't the only one to do this to a Company Commander that they didn't like.

So would this be during the same FTX that happen over the holidays or different one.

[dragoon500ly]

Let me guess he seem to have all the good c-rats before they distributed to the troops.

I am sure your units wasn't the only one to do this to a Company Commander that they didn't like.

So would this be during the same FTX that happen over the holidays or different one.

Well, lets just say that he felt that rank had its....and that he took every advantage!

It was a bridge-ex in early December.

[Panther Al]

I always missed the spicy meatballs, about the only one in my unit granted, but still. The charms was always good for a laugh though as most thought them cursed- once tossed a pack in Hutch's hummvee and laughed my ass off as he leapt out of is if a grenade was tossed. He would't even get back in unless someone else would get them out of his ride.

[Abbott Shaull]

I remember the Chicken ala King MREs it seems almost every part of the chicken was found at some point or time in that meal, to hear others talk about. Come to think about it it was the one meal I would wait until it too dark to tell what it was. I rather not see what I wasn't suppose to eat...lol..

[pmulcahy11b]

I remember the Chicken ala King MREs it seems almost every part of the chicken was found at some point or time in that meal, to hear others talk about. Come to think about it it was the one meal I would wait until it too dark to tell what it was. I rather not see what I wasn't suppose to eat...lol..

Chicken a la King sucked cold (which was the way we normally ate it), but was pretty good hot.

[dragoon500ly]

Chicken a la King sucked cold (which was the way we normally ate it), but was pretty good hot.

mmmmmmmm...those freeze-dried pork patties, you could break a piece off, let it soak in your mouth and it still tasted like wet cardboard!

[Abbott Shaull]

mmmmmmmm...those freeze-dried pork patties, you could break a piece off, let it soak in your mouth and it still tasted like wet cardboard!

The freeze dried beef patty wasn't much better. Now only if they threw noodles into those MRE packs...lol

[Adm.Lee]

At Origins in Columbus, I think it was the first year there, I was a participant in Europa-fest, a sub-convention for devotees of the Europa series (also by GDW). Winston Hamilton (RIP) was the president of GRD, which had taken over the series recently. The year previous at the "banquet," the food had run out early. This year (1996) he had promised there would be plenty of it, and it would be a surprise.

As it's related to the posts above, you can guess what the surprise was-- 2 cases of MRE. My ROTC knowledge extended as far as avoiding the chicken ala king.

[pmulcahy11b]

The freeze dried beef patty wasn't much better. Now only if they threw noodles into those MRE packs...lol

The worst was that tunafish salad they experimented with in the late-1980s -- I noticed that left the menu real fast. Still, there was always someone around that liked it...

[Legbreaker]

The worst (in my opinion) in the Australian ration packs was anything with egg in it - Steak and Egg, Ham and Egg.
The best was Beef and Tortellini :P

[Abbott Shaull]

The worst was that tunafish salad they experimented with in the late-1980s -- I noticed that left the menu real fast. Still, there was always someone around that liked it...

Never had it but I probably would of miss seeing it go...

[Abbott Shaull]

The worst (in my opinion) in the Australian ration packs was anything with egg in it - Steak and Egg, Ham and Egg.
The best was Beef and Tortellini :P

Yeah I am glad that I never had to suffer through the breakfast MREs...