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M1A2 vs. Merkeva vs. Leopard II


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Originally posted by RMC:

Um, EPA is the MRE. The M1s were outfitted with a powered metal sleeve inside the turret to warm the meal packets. Does the Leo have something like that?

If eating an MRE warm makes a difference, it is not EPA, since there it makes no difference. It tastes like ****, you only have a choice of eating warm or cold ****. It is therefore pointless to warm it, and that obviates the need for an EPA-heater. No need to thank those who developed EPA for their foresight in this matter.

The canned sausage is rather nice though, and almost makes the Panzerplatten edible, but you eat that combo cold in any case.

All the best

Andreas

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Andreas,

A classic CM post! I especially like the "pointless" part. I had the Turkey a la King (allegedly, one of the better ones) MRE cold at NTC while visiting my brother there many years ago, and I'm inclined to agree. Vile as it was, though, my understanding is that MREs were better than C rations. That said, my brother told me that the hot commodities were the road wheel cookies and the hard candy, plus the crackers and jam. Are you talking about a German MRE? I've never heard of a Panzerplatten, which is why I ask.

What I don't understand is why our troops are forced to eat such marginal stuff, when all sorts of wonderful condensed and freeze dried meals can be had from various camping suppliers and such.

Have also read that the French have the best rations in NATO. Maybe the Natick people need to

look into why that's so and how they do it. After all, it was the French who pioneered canned (actually bottled) rations for troops in the time of Napoleon.

Regards,

John Kettler

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The M1 guys I used to hang out with implied that the MRE heater was a water heater. While you didn't want to drink it because it was exposed to dirt and such you could use it to heat your shaving water.

German MREs are pretty nasty but the optional case of beer goes a long way towards making them edible.

I haven't tried them but I have heard that the MREs out there now are loads better than when I was in in 2000. Even then they were adding new menu choices. I think the original menus were supposed to be genaric so everyone would have a uniform reaction to them, a bad one.

By the way John, you were duped, the Ala King menu is one of the least desirable meals. When waiting in lagger before actually going into the box the armor brigade that I was attached to had big boxes (like refigerator boxes) that were full of MREs that the tankers didn't want. They would dump whole cases in them and you could fish through to find something you liked. We light guys were fishing around for extra chow to bring into "the box" just before we went out. The only thing left were Ala Kings. They even took the dreaded beef slices rather than the Ala King.

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Originally posted by John Kettler:

What I don't understand is why our troops are forced to eat such marginal stuff,

The better the army, the worse the food.

Or so they told us in the Bundeswehr.

800px-

Panzerplatten. Can be used as carrying element for cheese and canned sausage, to mess up your least favourite comrades bed, or to light a fire (if Bundeswehr shoe polish is added). Maybe used to replace Kevlar body-armour. Very high calory content.

All the best

Andreas

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Originally posted by Andreas:

If eating an MRE warm makes a difference, it is not EPA, since there it makes no difference. It tastes like ****, you only have a choice of eating warm or cold ****.

But warm **** is so much better than cold ****. It's axiomatic to an infantryman.
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OMG thanks for the stomach turning reminder. We called it Chicken A la Pee. We should have just given it to the Somalis and then they would have a valid reason to perform terrorist acts upon us.

The good ones now are Spicy Penne, Cheese Tortellini, and the Chicken Fajita.

The Veg Pasta one is still bad as is the Beef Patty, but nothing like the King.

Originally posted by sgtgoody (esq):

By the way John, you were duped, the Ala King menu is one of the least desirable meals. When waiting in lagger before actually going into the box the armor brigade that I was attached to had big boxes (like refigerator boxes) that were full of MREs that the tankers didn't want. They would dump whole cases in them and you could fish through to find something you liked. We light guys were fishing around for extra chow to bring into "the box" just before we went out. The only thing left were Ala Kings. They even took the dreaded beef slices rather than the Ala King.

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Feh. Real infantry carries a slab of raw salted pork fat and black bread. You don't like it, there's always the vodka ration. Heck, even if you like it, there's always the vodka ration...

Plus of course the voluntary contributions from grateful countryside, you happen to be passing through.

You warm the food, by setting the bits of countryside that aren't making voluntary contributions, on fire.

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Originally posted by Andreas:

Panzerplatten. Can be used as carrying element for cheese and canned sausage, to mess up your least favourite comrades bed, or to light a fire (if Bundeswehr shoe polish is added). Maybe used to replace Kevlar body-armour. Very high calory content.

Wow - real dwarven battle bread.

Saw some US troops on a cooking program in Afganistan recently. BBC - Cooking in the dangerzone I think it was called. A later program went to S Korea and he nearly age dog.

Anyway, while a local was preparing ram testicle and rice the US troops he was with opened their ration packets (like A4 jiffy bags) stood them against a rock and they self heated and seemed to be mighty fine. Anyone tried them?

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