With a little bit of luck, I'll be able to film a review of one odd little ration produced for the Army, specifically the Tailored Operational Training Ration (TOTM).
The TOTM is unique in that it is specifically intended for the National Guard. In years past, when Guard units had their weekend drill, feeding was sometimes done via sack lunch, or commercial vendor, or by issuing an MRE. MREs cost the government about $9 each. That's an expensive lunch. Sack lunches and commercial vendors were unpopular. As it turns out, using a combination of MRE components, commercial packaging, and a reduced menu allowed the Army to field the TOTM for just over $4 each.
With Hurricane Harvey heading to Texas right now, it's interesting to note that the Defense Logistics Agency explicitly authorizes the TOTM as appropriate for humanitarian use. We've seen National Guard units handing out MREs in the wake of previous natural disasters. It will be interesting to see if the TOTM makes an appearance.
I've got a couple of those sititng on my shelf right now.
Posted by: LT Rusty | 08/25/2017 at 02:55 PM
TOTM's how well I remember...
Posted by: SFC Dunlap 173d RVN | 08/25/2017 at 04:00 PM
My NG units cooked for themselves. We had kitchens at the armory, and, of course, field kitchens when we went to the range at Campbell. C-rat/MRE only when we were in the field during AT.
Posted by: Quartermaster | 08/28/2017 at 05:34 AM