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View Full Version : 1957 Ration Combat Individual - Review and Taste test



Glass
23rd June 2017, 11:53 PM
Guy cracks open a 60 year old 24 hour Combat ration pack individual from 1957.

Interesting stuff inside.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd0mWi-E_sI

milehi
24th June 2017, 12:05 AM
My neighbor across the street was in the Army in the very early 80's and says he was eating canned goods from WW2, depending on where he was at.

Glass
24th June 2017, 07:24 AM
Australian CR1M MRE review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z8_Xf5tZ5k

Complete with tube of yeast extract - Vegemite.

crimethink
24th June 2017, 08:45 AM
I think I'll pass on the first one, but I'd like to try the Australian one.

crimethink
24th June 2017, 08:51 AM
Speaking of survival food, Oregon Freeze Dried aka Mountain House is doing a rebate again, if you'd like to try one of their meals for (almost) free, just a stamp:

https://www.mountainhouse.com/M/onthehouse.html

https://www.mountainhouse.com/pdf/TryMountainHouseFreeRebateForm.pdf

Glass
24th June 2017, 09:57 AM
the latvia rations look pretty good as well.

It seems that getting actual military mre ration packs is pretty difficult. Most things out there are look like copies of what the military use.

crimethink
24th June 2017, 02:23 PM
I finally watched the whole video...OMG, I was so hoping he wasn't going to actually taste the Frankfurters ala Botulinum.

crimethink
24th June 2017, 02:27 PM
It seems that getting actual military mre ration packs is pretty difficult. Most things out there are look like copies of what the military use.

It is technically illegal to trade in USGI MREs. Nearly all of what is on the market is identical in content but with civilian packaging, made by the OEMs (e.g., AmeriQual Foods). You can occasionally find USGI MREs that were "borrowed" from duty stations for sale, usually quietly (i.e., no eBay).

hoarder
24th June 2017, 04:35 PM
If it was really food, it wouldn't keep that long.

Glass
24th June 2017, 10:33 PM
It is technically illegal to trade in USGI MREs. Nearly all of what is on the market is identical in content but with civilian packaging, made by the OEMs (e.g., AmeriQual Foods). You can occasionally find USGI MREs that were "borrowed" from duty stations for sale, usually quietly (i.e., no eBay).

I actually came across a discussion about this topic a few hours ago, it seems that it's illegal if you are in the services to sell your rations or get US mil rations - military assets and sell for private profit. It seems you can trade in them if you are not in the service. I think it was the MREinfo forum where I was reading it.

That still doesn't get around the issue that there just aren't that many places to get them and if you do find them they are out of or nearly out of code. The copy cat ones seem to have mostly the exact same brand items in them. For the most part the copy cat ones don't seem to have heaters but otherwise same stuff AND about a 5 year shelf life remaining.

So unless I was looking for real mil spec MRE's for some kind of collectable authenticity I'd be happy with good copy cats. Not cheap though at an average of USD $45, Around $60 in aussie bananas + shipping. Probably pushing $100.

He did do a review of what looks like a good copy cat. I think it was February 2016. To me it looked like a heck of a lot of food but if you're in the field you'll need the calories or you eat what you need/when you can. Black Dog someone puts them together.
There are also some that look ok on his site. Again $$. I guess with time and patience you can assemble your own.

crimethink
25th June 2017, 09:00 AM
I actually came across a discussion about this topic a few hours ago, it seems that it's illegal if you are in the services to sell your rations or get US mil rations - military assets and sell for private profit. It seems you can trade in them if you are not in the service. I think it was the MREinfo forum where I was reading it.

I just found this:

http://www.mreinfo.com/mres/us-govt-vs-ebay-auctions/

No actual statute (US Code) is cited, and, DLA is using different tactics to get them off eBay, leading one to believe the "illegality" is more hype than reality.

The US Postal Service claims "misuse" of their free Priority Mail boxes is illegal, too, but I've asked for a statute, and none is forthcoming.

So, it's a gray area. I wouldn't want to be a test subject in Federal "court," but I imagine quiet sales are no real problem. Getting caught as a soldier/sailor selling them is quite another problem, indeed.

The military personnel prohibition apparently stems from the great personal profits made during Katrina of pallets of MREs "liberated" from military stocks and sold privately.

Hitch
25th June 2017, 01:49 PM
My neighbor across the street was in the Army in the very early 80's and says he was eating canned goods from WW2, depending on where he was at.

A buddy of mine brought MRE's on a backpacking trip years ago and gave me one to try. It was steak in tomato sauce, and actually quite tasty. He told me after I ate it, it was from the Vietnam war. An old vet gave him a bunch of them. Apparently, since we didn't get sick, they last a long time.

crimethink
25th June 2017, 02:40 PM
A buddy of mine brought MRE's on a backpacking trip years ago and gave me one to try. It was steak in tomato sauce, and actually quite tasty. He told me after I ate it, it was from the Vietnam war. An old vet gave him a bunch of them. Apparently, since we didn't get sick, they last a long time.

Were they actual MREs, or something else? Meals Rejected by the Enemy (MREs) were introduced in 1981, 6 years after Vietnam officially ended. During the actual conflict, canned "MCIs" were issued, with "LRPs" supplementing them for special forces.

MREs are microbiologically safe indefinitely, provided they are not punctured or otherwise compromised, but as for nutritional value, that's quite another story.

MREs are electron beam irradiated: www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a273506.pdf

Hitch
25th June 2017, 07:31 PM
Were they actual MREs, or something else?

Well, they must have been MCI's since we ate them from a can. I could have sworn he said MRE though, hell it's been 20 years maybe.

Damn I feel old. When you can't remember details from 20 years ago...

Glass
25th June 2017, 08:49 PM
Well, they must have been MCI's since we ate them from a can. I could have sworn he said MRE though, hell it's been 20 years maybe.

Damn I feel old. When you can't remember details from 20 years ago...

Just wait until you can't remember details from yesterday...or when that pretty young filly calls you Sir. Anyway, it's not the feeling old, because I'm not convinced we ever do feel old from the inside. Its' the looking old from the outside. thats the bummer of it all.