Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Memo warns of 'Theater-Wide' delay of food deliveries in Iraq

Left: Studies have shown that the rations known as MREs (Meals Ready To Eat) have caused drastic weight loss in active duty soldiers involved in dismount operations. For instance, one soldier in Afghanistan had to be med-evac'd when diagnosed as suffering malnutrition after losing 60 pounds. In other cases, 20 to 40 pound weight losses were common.

Life in the Green Zone -- a foreign service hardship post -- has long been mitigated by the culinary comforts of home...

But mouths turned dry Monday when an internal embassy e-mail announced a "Theater-Wide Delay in Food Deliveries." Due to an unspecified convoy problem, it said, "it may not be possible to offer the dishes you are used to seeing at each meal. Fresh fruits or salad bar items will also be severely limited or unavailable"...

Sreebny, who said on Tuesday that the last supply trucks arrived in Baghdad two weeks ago, attributed the delays to paperwork problems on the border, traffic logjams, and "security issues."

Read the rest at the Washington Post

Related Link:
Perspective: Field rations failing soldiers