What the Heck?! Thread (Closed)

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Jura The idiot

Jura The idiot

General
something lost in translation, or ... What the Heck?!
Hungry Swedish UN troops in Mali complain of being underfed
Swedish UN peacekeeping forces in Mali say they are not being fed enough and often go to bed hungry, reports newspaper
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"It is crazy that in 2015 we do not get enough food. It affects our mood. People get sour and angry when they do not get enough to eat," says a source from the Swedish military presence in Mali to DN.

The 200-strong task force, which will soon start their work supporting the UN mission in Mali, receives UN food rations of 1800 calories per person, per day. Not enough to meet the body size of the Swedish soldier, according to DN's source.

"1800 kilocalories, might suffice UN soldiers from Burkina Faso and Bangladesh, who are often of smaller build, but not for us," says one of the Swedes.

The Swedish UN force is in the final stages of constructing of a 42,000-square metre base at Camp Nobel in Mali, which will include a hospital, garages and service stations. The strenuous work, allied to smaller rations, is affecting the Health of the soldiers, according to some.

"Our physical shape is affected. We were not fat and did not have much fat tissue when we arrived. When the food is not enough, we burned the fat first, but now it has also affectected muscle mass. I myself know that I have become weaker," says one soldier, who has lost five kgs in weight during his time in Mali.

When the very first Swedish military came to Mali to build the base Camp Nobel outside Timbuktu, they lived on prepackaged rations in bags. These contained dried food and chocolate, biscuits, nuts and more. It meant rations of around 3,500 kcal per person per day, which met the soldiers' daily needs.

The supposed food shortage began in early March when the force got its own kitchen. At the same time the Armed Forces ceased to hand out bags of rations. The UN would instead supply raw foof ingredients to the kitchen. According to the information provided to the camp, the UN supplies has led to the meals being rationed at 1800 kg calories a day.

The breakfast may consist of two slices of cheese and two slices of sausage - if available - plus butter and two slices of bread and a glass of milk. Vegetables and fruits should be included in the UN supplies but is often said to be so overripe that they were discarded, said one of the task force to DN. workforce:

"Regarding fruit and veg, I have seen apples four times in a month, and green beans once. The chefs in the kitchen doing their best, but their ingredients are not enough."

The dining room is completely closed for twelve hours at a stretch between 18.00 and 06.00. Then there is nothing to eat at all, forcing those on the night shift to go hungry.

The head of the Swedish UN force in Mali, Lieutenant Colonel Carl-Magnus Svensson, admitted the rationing problems to DN, but said that troops serving abroad should expect to be in poorer physical shape.

He rejected claims that the diet would create health problems. The staff eat "a lot more" more than 1800 kilocalories per day. The fact that they cannot eat the same amount as at home in Sweden is "a luxury problem". he added that the Swedish force cannot expect to have more rations than other UN troops in Timbuktu.
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TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
For point of Reference A US Military issue MRE Or Humanitarian meals have 1200 Calories PER MEAL that's not counting supplementary items like Shakes and Bars Such meals are issued widely and intended to be eaten 3 per day for 3600 Calories. modern British army Ration packs are issued for a 24 hour period and supply 4000 calories plus they have special menu options for Halal,Sikh/Hindu and Vegetarians. Even UN BP-5 Compact Food bars have 2 bars per pack offering a total of 2300 calories!
 
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TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
It's not just the Calories it's the nutrition to
The breakfast may consist of two slices of cheese and two slices of sausage - if available - plus butter and two slices of bread and a glass of milk. Vegetables and fruits should be included in the UN supplies but is often said to be so overripe that they were discarded, said one of the task force to DN. workforce:

"Regarding fruit and veg, I have seen apples four times in a month, and green beans once. The chefs in the kitchen doing their best, but their ingredients are not enough."
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One of the BIGGEST problems Military forces faced for centuries until canning was lack of Fruit. lack of Fresh fruit particularly those rich in ascorbate over a long period results in Scurvy which can be debilitating even lethal if left untreated. If these Troops are receiving This Breakfast on a regular basis and all there meals are consistent with it for over a month they could begin to suffer from such. Death from Scurvy in modern times is rare thanks to easy access to fruits rich in Vitamin C, but the Diet described here sounds... More like that of the crew of a Naval ship in the 1800's, all that's missing is Hardtack.
 
kwaigonegin

kwaigonegin

Colonel
Those Swedish soldiers better pray they don't get the egg omellete MRE! That thing taste worse than dog food. Same with the hot dog one! It's appropriately named the 5 fingers of death!
It's so bad they are discontinued! Thank God.
Navy eat very well compared to Army and Marines in the field.
 
TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
The Main issue the swedish troops are having is not MRE's ( or the Swedish equivalent there in. ) Which you can see a Example of in this video.
The Issue seems to be The UN issued garrison ration, what We in the US would know as
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these are larger full rations meant for preparation in prepared areas.
Think of a "Roach Coach" A food Catering van Now a A would be all the food on the truck A rations are a mix of shelf stable and frozen/ refrigerated foods that need prep.

MRE's are intended for short term eating may be a single mission to a month or so. Modern MRE's are packed with goodies and vitamins as a general rule but they tend to be poor in fibers and calcium well being high in salt.
to compensate for this Garrison and other rations are used on extended operations like the US Military's UGR-B, and UGR-E which is more or less a large box containing a set of prepacked rations with every thing needed. it even cooks it's self. like a cafeteria in a box.
 
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