All these acronyms for food. What happened to good old chow … I loved that word. “Let’s go get some chow.” “Let’s head on over to the chow hall.” Those were the days, when Duke Wayne and William Bendix had chow. When Loyd Nolan and Richard Jaeckel were having “chow” in a ditch on Guadalcanal and Tarawa. Now we have FSRs … sheesh, come on, man up and get some chow!
INCOMING Military Cartoons
by John Sheppard
Not many veterans would agree with me but I loved military chow. When I went into the USAF I was 6′ 3″ and weighed 160 lbs. After four months I gained a much needed 20 pounds. Even with all the calesthetics in basic. To this day I still make my own SOS now and then for breakfast.
I loved military chow! When I was stationed at Kelly AFB (attached to Ft. Sam Houston) in S.A. TX, I loved going over to the chow hall (right across from my barracks), especially when they had lasagna. (Then again, Air Force cuisine is probably the best, since the A.F. spends a lot of its money on quality of life for its personnel. 🙂 )
Even at basic training, I had an affinity for Army chow. Based on our weight, that determined whether or not the drill sergeants wanted us to eat more or less. I was a pretty skinny motherfrakker, so my D.S. wanted me to eat more.
Funny story. One day, in basic, my platoon was scheduled for range detail. We were released for chow, and had to report back within the hour. So, I had my usual second serving. Drill Sgt. Greer comes up to my table (amazingly enough, I had the table to myself). I sat up, and he told me to relax. “You really like this food, don’cha, Dunlap?”
“Yes, drill sergeant.” I replied.
“Well, you know you have to be out on the range again in a few minutes, so why don’cha take those cookies with you when you take a break?”
Knowing the rules, I tentatively questioned my own D.S.’s instructions: “Drill sergeant…..are you…sure?”
Tilting his head, and giving me the “squint” that some D.S.’s are well known for, Greer replied: “What’d I just say, son?”
“No objections here, drill sergeant.” I answered, and quickly stowed the cookies (macaroons, they were…and often used like treats out during training in the base).
Drill Sergeant Greer could be a hardass drill sergeant, but he was also one of the coolest, most STRAC individuals I’d ever had the honor of meeting.
Well, we go back out to the range, and since it was CAT 3 conditions, we were authorized to take off our BDU jackets to work. Stupid me, I sat my jacket down on a solid slab of concrete. After a while, the range sergeant cuts us for a break. I go back to my jacket, and reach into my pocket for one of my cookies. My hand feels like it’s on FIRE! I pull my hand out, and there are a couple of fire ants crawling all over my hand. I squash them, and looking on my jacket, there were several more fire ants. I beat my jacket against the wall, and smushed my jacket as much as possible. So much for my cookies. There were five good little mini welts forming on my hand from the bites.
And if there’s one thing I learned about in the Army….the dog’s breakfast. (Mixing up all your food so you can just eat everything in spoon or fork-fulls.) A habit I still carry out to this day, depending on what I have to eat. 🙂
And btw, I used to LOVE M.R.E.’s too. I don’t know what they have in the military now, but M.R.E.’s ruled!
m.r.e are still in the field got it
Yes, they are. BUt FSR’s are under development and research … thanks for taking the time to comment! It os appreciated. Come back again.