The Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) was a United States military ration of canned and preserved food, issued from 1958 to 1980. It replaced the earlier C-ration, which it was so similar to that it was often nicknamed the "C-ration", despite the term never being used officially. The MCI was eventually replaced by the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE). [1] [2]
Despite the new name, the MCI was still popularly referred within the military as the C-ration. The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned C-ration, with inclusion of additional menu items to reduce monotony and encourage adequate daily feeding and nutrition. Heavy for their content, they were eventually phased out in favor of the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE). [1] Although the MRE was formally adopted as the Department of Defense combat ration in 1975, the first large-scale production test of the MRE did not occur until in 1978, with the first MRE I rations packed and delivered to Army stores in 1981. [2] MCI rations continued to be issued when the MRE was introduced until inventories were depleted. [1]
The MCI consisted of a rectangular cardboard carton containing one small flat can, one large can, and two small cans. It consisted of an "M"-unit can (meat-based entree item), a "B"-unit (bread item) composed of the Crackers & Candy Can and the flat Spread Can, and a "D"-unit can (dessert item). The M-1, M-3, B-1, B-2, D-2, and D-3 unit cans were small and the M-2, B-3, and D-1 unit cans were large. The ration cans were packed upright, with the flat Spread can over the large can on the left side and the two small cans were stacked one over the other on the right side (the lighter one over the heavier one). On top was the brown foil Accessory Pack and a white plastic spoon wrapped in clear plastic. Each carton contained a single complete meal providing approximately 5,000 kJ (1,200 kilocalories or 1,200 kcal), with a packaged weight of 1.2 kilograms (2.6 lb) [3] and volume of 1.5 litres (0.053 cu ft).
The label of the ration carton was printed across the lid of the rectangular box in three rows. The first row always read "MEAL, COMBAT, INDIVIDUAL". The second row indicated the name of the meat unit in bold capital block letters (e.g., "TURKEY LOAF") and the third row indicated the "B"-unit number (either B-1, B-1A, B-2 or B-3, B-3A, Unit) in bold capital block letters. Sometimes there was a smaller fourth line of type at the very bottom of the cover that either indicated the contractor who made the ration or the manufacturer that made the cardboard box itself.
The ration boxes were shipped in a rectangular cardboard packing case. Each packing case contained 12 ration cartons (containing one of each meal) packed in two rows of six rations. They were grouped in three menus of four meals each, organized by their "B"-unit (B-1, B-2, and B-3). It also contained four paper-wrapped P-38 can openers to open the cans. Each packing case weighed 25 to 26 pounds (11 to 12 kg) and had a volume of 0.8713 cubic feet (24.67 L). Early cases were bound with baling wire, but late Vietnam War and post-war cases were bound in plastic strapping.
The "M" unit came in 12 basic varieties grouped in three menus of four different entrees (later supplemented by "alternative" variant entrees). Taking into account slight differences in preparation or meat, a total of 18 entrees were available over time:
Ham and Lima Beans was colloquially known throughout the armed forces as "Ham and Motherfuckers" (or other variants such as "Beans and Motherfuckers", "Ham & Claymores", "Ham & Lifers"). Beans with Frankfurter Chunks in Tomato Sauce was called "Beanie Weenie" or "Beans and Baby Dicks".[ citation needed ]
The "B" unit came in three different varieties:
The "D" unit came in three different types:
Each menu was grouped by their unit number (i.e., M-1, B-1 and D-1 items were grouped together). Alternative items (designated with an "A" suffix) were introduced to provide variety and reduce the monotony. For variety, the M-1 and M-3 units (since they both used small cans) were often switched.
The "B"-unit's Crackers & Candy tin was lined with a piece of corrugated cardboard to protect the contents from damage. In the "D"-unit, the white bread came in one solid cylindrical piece wrapped in wax paper, while the pound cake, fruitcake, Orange Nut Roll, and Cinnamon Nut Roll, and Date Pudding came wrapped in paper wrappers like cupcakes.
The Accessory Pack came with salt, sugar, instant coffee, non-dairy creamer, two pieces of candy-coated chewing gum, a packet of toilet paper, a four-pack of commercial-grade cigarettes, and a book of 20 cardboard moisture-proof matches.
Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette ration were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, or Winston. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1972. [4]
In 1967 there were changes in packaging to help standardize the ration. The B-1 and B3 cans were now all small sized and the B-1 was the same as the B-1A and the B-3 was the same as the B-3A
The B-3 unit added a Chocolate With Peanuts discs. The D-2 units added a Chocolate Nut Roll.
Although the MCI had been designed as improvement over the earlier Type C or C ration of World War II and Korea, with the inclusion of additional menu items, it was still designed for infrequent use, to be regularly supplemented with fresh Type A (Garrison) and canned Type B (Field Kitchen) rations. [5] This goal was rarely achieved in the field, and some Army and Marine forces in Vietnam would operate for two weeks or more while consuming only the MCI ration or other processed, canned foods.
The new ration had some curious superstitions attached to it during the Vietnam War. The "Ham & Lima Beans" entree, disliked since Korea, [6] was detested by U.S. soldiers and Marines, who considered even pronouncing the correct name brought bad luck, instead calling it "Ham and Motherfuckers". [7] [8] [9] US Marines, paratroops, infantrymen, and armored vehicle crewmen, particularly AMTRAC (Amphibious Tractor) personnel, believed that halved apricots were bad luck to eat during combat operations. [10] The peanut butter issued in the B-1 unit was unappetizing to some and was often discarded, but was consumed by those with diarrhea, as it was certain to stop a case of "the runs". [11] [12] Soldiers in Special Operations units hoarded B-1 peanut butter in empty ration cans to make improvised smoke candles while on long patrols. [13] Being extremely oily, the peanut butter burned with ease, and could be used to boil water for coffee, although it left a greasy black stain on the bottom of the canteen cup.
Other menu items were more popular, such as the pound cake, canned pears, and the spaghetti & meatballs. [11] [14] In 1973, Marine helicopter pilot Henry Moak was issued a MCI ration during his stay in Vietnam. Included in the MCI ration was a can of pound cake, manufactured in 1969. He kept the unopened can, and (having since switched branches), vowed to eat the pound cake when he retired from the Army. On July 24, 2009, with news media and dignitaries in attendance, Colonel Moak opened the forty-year-old can and ate the contents. He noted that the pound cake still looked and smelled like fresh pound cake. [15] [16]
Throughout the Marine Corps 'Beef Slices w/ Potatoes' were known as "Beef and Rocks" due to their half-cooked texture caused by the chemically maintained integrity of the potato slices to prevent disintegration during storage and "Beans with Frankfurter Chunks in Tomato Sauce" were more commonly referred to as "Beans and Baby Dicks". While Marines in general praised pound cake, particularly with fruit cocktail, most detested fruitcake and generally handed it off to less discriminating unit members. Within the Army during the Vietnam War, 'Beef Slices w/ Potatoes' were often referred to as "Beef and Shrapnel".[ citation needed ]
The small "B"-unit can was often made into an improvised field stove (known as the "C-rat boonie stove") that could be carried in the cargo pockets of a set of combat fatigues. This was done by making a series of diagonal cuts around the top and bottom edges of the can with a P-38 can opener or a standard can opener to allow the trioxane fuel tablet to burn evenly and warm the entrée. Small balls of C-4 plastic explosive were often substituted for the fuel tablet. [17] Heating of canned meat items was often accomplished by inserting the can into the exhaust of a running truck where it would jam into the curved exhaust pipe end, warming it to a palatable temperature and de-congealing the grease. A second variation that was used by those with ready access to diesel fuel was to take a "church key" (also a needed item to open drinks cans) and make the same series of holes around the top sides of the can. Then, cardboard from the packaging box would be rolled up and placed into the can so that it just came to the top of the can. The can is dipped into the fuel tank of a source of diesel fuel, then lighted. The cardboard acted as a wick for the fuel and the can can be used to heat the rations as well as make tea or coffee. One "stove" was good for at least three or more men to heat their meal and make their coffee with one fueling. [18]
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 “Comparing C-Rations to MREs Sgt. Neil Gussman” |
Though it had been given a new name, the MCI was in essence still the canned C ration of prior years. Selecting the MCI ration for all field issue resulted in limiting troops in the field to a single class of heavy wet packaged ration that despite meal variances, was simply not suitable for extended consumption. As they had in World War II and Korea, soldiers and Marines regularly complained of the monotony of a single class of field ration, especially where field mess A and B rations were not available for extended periods of time. [14] Despite the inclusion of additional menu items, the MCI was still designed only for "infrequent use" (unlike later individual rations, which would be required to pass a new field test of seven consecutive days of consumption as the sole diet without complaints of monotony). [19]
The overuse of the canned ration culminated during the Vietnam War, where American troops frequently resorted to the extreme of placing stacked ration cans inside empty G.I. socks to save bulk and reduce noise on patrol, while enemy forces improved mobility by carrying lightweight rations of dry rice in scarves. [20] Primarily implemented due to cost concerns, the decision to standardize on a single canned wet individual ration resulted in a severe weight penalty for troops marching on foot through the jungles of Vietnam while carrying a multi-day supply of MCI cans, adversely affecting combat readiness and increasing soldier fatigue [21] (a typical complete individual ration of cans for one day weighed five and a half pounds). [22] [23] Many combat soldiers and Marines, already overburdened, carried the minimum amount to save weight on operations until the next resupply drop; when the drop was delayed, they went hungry. [22]
The failure of the Quartermaster Corps and its Subsistence Branch to develop a suitable lightweight general-purpose ration after World War II, combined with the absence of a dehydrated, very lightweight dry ration for jungle environments led directly to the hurried development of the Long Range Patrol, or LRP ration in 1966. [20]
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The Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) is a self-contained individual United States military ration used by the United States Armed Forces and Department of Defense. It is intended for use by American service members in combat or field conditions where other food is not available. MREs have also been distributed to civilians as humanitarian daily rations during natural disasters and wars.
The C-ration was a United States military ration consisting of prepared, canned wet foods. They were intended to be served when fresh or packaged unprepared food was unavailable, and survival rations were insufficient. It was replaced by the similar Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) in 1958; its modern successor is the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE).
The 10-in-1 food parcel, commonly known as the 10-in-1 ration, was a United States military ration issued during World War II. As its name implies, the 10-in-1 provided the needs of ten soldiers in a single ration package.
Chili con carne is a spicy stew of Mexican origin containing chili peppers, meat, tomatoes, and often pinto beans or kidney beans. Other seasonings may include garlic, onions, and cumin.
Hardtack is a type of dense biscuit or cracker made from flour, water, and sometimes salt. Hardtack is inexpensive and long-lasting. It is used for sustenance in the absence of perishable foods, commonly during long sea voyages, land migrations, and military campaigns. Along with salt pork and corned beef, hardtack was a standard ration for many militaries and navies from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.
United States military ration refers to the military rations provided to sustain United States Armed Forces service members, including field rations and garrison rations, and the military nutrition research conducted in relation to military food. U.S. military rations are often made for quick distribution, preparation, and eating in the field and tend to have long storage times in adverse conditions due to being thickly packaged or shelf-stable.
The K-ration was a United States military ration consisting of three separately boxed meal units: breakfast, dinner, and supper. It was originally intended as an individually packaged daily ration for issue to airborne troops, tank crews, motorcycle couriers, and other mobile forces for short durations.
Imperial Japanese rations were the field rations issued by Imperial Japan in World War II, and which reflected the culture of the Japanese military. Rations had to be stout, durable, simple, sturdy and had to survive without refrigeration for long periods of time. Typically each ration was served in the field in canned food boxes, and cooked near the battlefield. The mess tin was known as a han-gou.
Humanitarian daily rations are food rations manufactured in the United States intended to be supplied to civilians and other non-military personnel in humanitarian crises. Each is intended to serve as a single person's full daily food supply, and contains somewhat over 2,200 calories (9,200 kJ). They have shelf-lives of about 3 years, and their contents are designed to be acceptable to a variety of religious and ethnic groups. The meals cost approximately one-fifth of the cost of a Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE), or US$4.70 in 2012. The rations were first used in Bosnia in 1993 as part of Operation Provide Promise.
A field ration is a type of prepackaged military ration designed to be easily and quickly prepared and consumed in the field, in combat, at the front line, or where eating facilities are otherwise unavailable. Field rations are primarily used by military forces, though they are also sometimes distributed to civilians as part of humanitarian aid and emergency management. They differ from garrison rations and field kitchen provisions, which are intended for where proper meals can be supplied and prepared with relative ease and safety, such as in the rear where logistics are steady and fresh food can be supplied. They are similar to, but distinct from, other purpose-designed long-lasting types of food or rations such as emergency rations, humanitarian daily rations, and camping food.
The Individual Meal Pack or IMP is one type of field ration used by the Canadian Forces. The IMP is designed so that a continuous diet provides all the nutrition needed to sustain a service member in the field. The IMP meets Canada's nutrition requirements, with the exception of calcium and folic acid, which are not significant if the consumption period of rations is less than 30 (consecutive) days. IMPs provide 1,200–1,400 calories (5.0–5.9 MJ) per meal.
A garrison ration is a type of Military rations. Usually distinct from field rations, the term has varying meanings, but generally refers to either rations issued to personnel at a camp, installation, or other garrison; allowance allotted to personnel to purchase goods or rations sold in a garrison; the rations purchased with the aforementioned allowance; or a type of issued ration.
The Jungle Ration was a dry, lightweight United States military ration developed by the U.S. Army during World War II for soldiers on extended missions in tropical regions.
The A-ration is a United States military ration consisting of fresh, refrigerated, or frozen foods. A-rations may be served in dining facilities, prepared in the field using field kitchens, or prepared at a fixed facility and transported to field locations in containers. Its modern successor is the Unitized Group Ration – A (UGR-A), which combines multiple types of rations, including the A-ration, under one unified system.
The First Strike Ration (FSR) is a compact assault United States military ration. It is designed to be consumed on the move during the first 72 hours of conflict. It was created by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. The U.S. Army said the FSR substantially reduces weight and load and is intended to enhance a consumer's physical performance, mental acuity, and mobility.
Military rations, operational rations, or military provisions are goods issued to sustain the needs of military personnel. As their name suggests, military rations have historically been, and often still are, subject to rationing, with each individual receiving specific amounts from available supplies. Military-issued goods and the rationing of such goods has existed since the beginnings of organized warfare.
The Food Packet, Long Range Patrol was a freeze-dried dehydrated United States military ration used by the Department of Defense. Developed in 1964 and intended for wide adoption during the Vietnam War, its use was eventually limited to American special operations forces during long-range reconnaissance patrols, where bulky canned Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) rations proved too heavy for extended missions on foot. The LRP had a cold-weather warfare equivalent, the Ration, Cold Weather (RCW).
The B-ration was a United States military ration consisting of packaged and preserved food intended to be prepared in field kitchens by cooks. Its modern successor is the Unitized Group Ration – M (UGR-M), which combines multiple types of rations, including the B-ration, under one unified system.
The Unitized Group Ration (UGR) is a United States military ration used by the United States Armed Forces and Department of Defense (DoD). It is intended to sustain groups of American service members with access to a field kitchen, serving as a field ration and a garrison ration. It is the modern successor to several older alphabetized rations—namely the A-ration, B-ration, and T-ration—combining them under a single unified system. UGRs are designed to meet the Military Daily Recommended Allowance when averaged over a 5 to 10 day period, with each meal providing between 1,300 and 1,450 kcal.