The idea of having an MRE Spork/toothbrush/razor that can be used as a toothbrush and razor handle can be improved further by moulding onto it a rough surface that can be used to file toenails or foot calluses.
MREs have "wet-naps", but these should be of sufficient size or quantity to wash the hands before eating and to allow the face to be shaved and washed afterwards.
There should also be sufficient toilet paper to dry the hands and face in cold environments.
Chewing gum should be of the type that also neutralises acids produced in the mouth after eating. Better still, replace the Chewing gum with something that actually has food value, rather than is unnecessary weight,
A sachet of foot-powder should be included in each MRE. This should be clearly marked so that it is not confused with a condiment.
A few water purification tablets should be included in each MRE.
Chewing gum is a common component in the ration packs of many nations yet its inclusion is highly questionable. I'll admit to being no great fan of gum. Many people who like it seem unable to chew with their mouths closed. I've little doubt that at least one ambush in Vietnam was discovered by the noise of GI's chewing! Even when the basic skill of chewing with the mouth closed is mastered chewing gum still makes you look slovenly, bovine and vacuous. Like many smokers with cigarette butts, gum users are also notorious for not disposing of their gum responsibly and just sticking or spitting it where they fancy.
Gum serves very little actual practical use. It has virtually no food value. It's value for Oral Hygiene is questionable, especially when you consider the same weight in a ration pack could be taken up by toothpaste and a spork/toothbrush/razor. The idea that handing out chewing gum to local children as part of the “Hearts and Minds” campaign is also open to question. The older locals won't be enamored knowing who is responsible for all the gum stuck everywhere and to their shoes and the fact their kids now look like Americans (remember the scene with Jean Reno in the Hollywood attempt at Godzilla (GINO)). The Hearts and Minds job can be done better with chocolate or hard candy, which also has the advantage of giving a Soldier a quick energy boost.
It may be argued that a packet of chewing gum weighs very little, but this adds up. Two cases of MREs hold over a pound and a half of chewing gum. That's a pound and a half of weight that does nothing. Now consider how many tons of MREs need to be shipped into a theatre each day, and the resources and manpower needed to do this and you see that chewing gum is incredibly wasteful. The ounce or so of weight each chewing gum packet takes could be used for far more useful items such as hard candy, toothpaste or water purification tablets.
Most of the main course ingredients that are found in MREs could be packaged wrapped in a tortilla or pastry, allowing them to be eaten on the move. This would be simpler than developing a separate "Mobility Enhancing Rations"
The original Cornish pasty was the convenience food par-excellence -meat and veg at one end, dessert (usually jam) at the other and a ridge of crust thick enough to hold onto with coal dust covered fingers and then throw away once the middle was eaten.
Water Sachets Aircrews are equipped with 4-5 fl-oz packets of water as part of their SERE vests. Since this water is intended mainly for drinking it may be possible to issue these packs filled with fruit flavoured ORT (Oral Rehydration Therapy) mixture or Gatorade.
Such packs might be issued to ground troops, possibly in cases of MREs.
Nocake bars. Pinole (Nocake) is made from parched corn.
A very small amount will swell up in the stomach to make one feel full, and is high in nutrients and calories, so this is not just empty bulk. Pinole can also be made from parched wheat, which has more easily assimilated proteins, or from oats, to provide variety.
Binding pinole together with something such as honey, and possibly adding a few raisins could make a useful emergency ration. This could be combined in a wrapper with a piece of kosher jerky and a packet of Gatorade. Fruit leather might be added as desert.
Field Kitchen Transport Box. Used to transport hot food such as stews from field kitchens to fighting units. This is a large box insulated on the sides and the lid. At the base of the box is a chamber with a grate across it and a flue up one side of the box. The box's contents can be kept warm or reheated by burning solid fuel such as wood, hexamine or trioxane in the lower chamber. In desert conditions a tray filled with sand and petrol can be used.
The box could have poles inserted at the sides so it can be carried by like a stretcher.
"Just one bar of Go-Co rams home a flotilla of Guarana, equivalent to around two and a half cans of clubber’s standby, Red Bull, meaning that when your pep is low, a quick chomp of Guarana-infused Go-Co will put enough lead in your pencil to poison thirteen Jack Russells. Guarana, for the uninitiated, is a natural substance that contains several times the caffeine levels of coffee. It’s a stimulant and is often used by athletes to restore their energy levels more quickly. It's also used in the health food industry as a weight loss agent and smoking cessation aid. Go-Co, while essentially a milk chocolate bar, does have a slightly bitter aftertaste, so it's not the sort of confectionary treat that's likely to become the darling of tuck shops the nation over. This is chocolate for real men; men with ambition and drive; men headed straight for the top in their chosen profession, but also men who don't have the time for sleep, proper nutrition"
