European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 21, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 9 May not seem rational but go loves res by Janet ii Owells Tierney staff writer meet pvt. 2 David Brown the rare trooper who admits to a fondness Tor meals ready to eat. I love res says Brown a Forward observer for he Btry 2nd in 3rd Field arty act. "1 Cut up the Ham slices or the beef patties and mix them with chinese noodles. I come up with ideas As i eat  Brown who describes himself As a survivals from Chicago Calls Mealtimes in the Field a Celebration. Everyone gathers around he said. It s like a  Brown s held feasting aside the military has t had much Luck in developing a following for the foil wrapped meals launched in 1981 to replace the various canned rations in use since world War ii. During caravan guard Maneu vers in the West German states of Hess in and Rheinland Pfalz that just ended soldiers were doing a brisk business wit German locals who seemed Happy to Trade i Rotchen and potato chips for the Olive drab cats. The German kids bring bottles of Coke and they la bring a Piz a if you be got enough res to Trade said i pc. Corey Stark a truck Driver with the i Ith army Cav regt s combat support so. Stark said he cats the rations Only if there arc no alternatives a sentiment echoed by Many soldiers who took part in the exercise. As spec. David a. Tropp put it i pitch pm. The crackers Are like hardtack from the civil  sgt. John a. Burks a Cook with the cavalry regiment said he became concerned that his soldiers were going hungry when he discovered cases of res going untouched during the exercise. So Burks began offering a Choice Peanut Butler and Jelly fresh fruit hot soup and milk. Of course Burks added they can have an Are  officials argue that soldiers grumbles from their stomachs and otherwise have not gone unheard by military food researchers. In 1986, seven of the Are s 12 entrees were increased from live to eight ounces in response to troop feedback that they were not big enough. In 1987, fruit Flavoured beverage mix made its debut and hot sauce was added to three of the original 12 entrees. In 1988, nine new entrees were added including breakfast items like corned beef hash and Ham ome lets and commercial candies such As Tootsie Rolls and a is. For the fastidious Field Grunt moist  made the scene. Field tests have shown that soldiers prefer the improved res hands Down. S4s Scott a Milbur truck Driver i pc. Corey Stark lunches on res in a wooded area near mond Crabach West Germany. Not Only were the improved rations clearly preferable but soldiers ate a larger portion of them said Jerry Darsch. Chief of the food technology division at the army s research development and engineering Center in Natick mass. To Date the Center has spent about $750,000 in research and testing to improve res which Cost the Pentagon $170 million a year. But Darsch added no matter How nutritionally Complete we make these rations they re Only beneficial if the Soldier eats  for service members in Europe the improved rations present a culinary catch-22 although Many Don t like the old rations and won t cat them stocks of the new version won t be shipped until soldiers polish off the old. Once Tiik soldiers in Europe manage that they can look Forward to further additions to the menu As Well. Natick is working on about 30 More improvements including a two ounce bread product that boasts a shelf life of Hryc years. This was a real Challenge but we have some exceptional food technicians and they were not deterred by the requirement Darsch said. Nalick managed the bread s Long life without using preservatives he said through a process that involves controlling the water activity inside inc bread Pouch. Any food product contains a certain amount of free water which is conducive to the growth of Mold yeast and  Darsch said. We be put a completely Safe non toxic chemical packet in the bread Pouch to absorb residual moisture and oxygen to prevent that  the Center a so has come up with a compound approved by the food and drug administration that binds with the bread starch and prevents the i Are s cuisine de combat zone Michelin guide 4 Star rating ass  this provocative sign was displayed on a tent during Field testing of meals ready to eat Back in 1984. Bread from going stale. Other Short term improvement include development of a wet pack fruit product to replace he current duchy Draich version. Darsch said the dehydrated fruit was developed because of stringent army requirements on the weight and size of the rations. The army has loosened up on those requirements a bit. So we re now Able to look int wet pack  in the Long term. Nalick is looking into adapting the bread technology to create pizza and burritos. We re also looking into smoked frankfurters and hamburgers Darsch said. And the bread we re developing would be perfect to use As hot dog or hamburger  other in rec possibilities include Rice Pilaf beef stroganoff and Sweet and sour pork. Desserts arc being improved As Well he said. Five new Pound cakes Are being developed including such flavors As pineapple and chocolate mint. One of the things rations have always been missing is a Good Quality milk product which has led to concern that soldiers Don t get enough Calcium in the Field Darsch said. We re looking at a number of milk based beverage products which could possibly result in Field milkshakes. Sec re also looking at ways to Cool such  finally. Natick is testing new ways to heal the res in the Field. Any ration is better if you can heal it he said. Soldiers have devised various ways of doing Hal Over the years but we re going to make it easier. In the next few months Well be testing an electro chemical magnesium Alloy heating pad about three inches by three inches and one eighth of an Inch thick. Add an ounce or two of water and you gel an exothermic reaction that generates heal electrically without a flame. Very Safe very easy. It will heal an entree from 70 to 170 degrees in 12 to 15  currently the most popular Way of heating inc rations is placing inc packets on a warm vehicle engine. Another addition to the lunch lineup of the future could be the meal operational ready to eat or More which is designed to supplement res Usa eur officials said. The ration made up of Brand name items from Hormel and Del Monte among other firms will be Field tested by 3rd inf div troops at Hohrn fils in november the officials said. Darsch said Natick is getting a lot of positive feedback from the improvements that have already been made and he expects that to continue As new developments Are phased in. We try to be As responsive to the troops As we can he said. They re the ones who arc eating these rations after  contributing to this report state writer aftuck Al non in Washington