Fielded Individual/Assault Ration Improvement Project R&DA Boot Camp Judith Aylward, MS, RD Individual Combat Rations Team DoD Combat Feeding Directorate US Army Natick RD&E Center Fielded Individual/Assault Ration Improvement Project R&DA Boot Camp

Government Agencies/Acronyms NSRDEC (Natick) – US. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development & Engineering Center. Combat ration developer located in Natick, MA DSCP – Defense Supply Center, Philadelphia. Procurement agency that awards ration contracts JSORF – Joint Services Operational Rations Forum. Decision making authority for changes to rations VETCOM – US ARMY Veterinary Command. Inspects at ration assembly plants and inspects fielded rations OTSG – Office of The Surgeon General. Provides nutritional standards and approvals

Combat Ration Development & Integration Process PRODUCT EVALUATION CRITERIA: WHERE COMPONENTS/ PRODUCTS ORIGINATE: Warfighter Feedback – Through a variety of channels, Warfighters often “ask” for specific menu items to be considered. Non-Developmental Item – Items that have been submitted by industry for evaluation and consideration. In-House Development – Items that have been developed by CFD R&D personnel taking into consideration current industry trends and Joint Statements of Needs (JSN) Submittals. Bench-Top Sensory Evaluations IS ITEM APPROPRIATE FOR COMBAT RATIONS? Packaging Produced/ Packaged in USA Nutrition Standards for Operational Rations Shelf Stable Historical Storage Data

Individual Combat Ration Team Carbopack First Strike Ration® Meal, Ready-to-Eat™ (MRE™) Modular Operational Ration Enahncement Meal, Cold Weather/ Long Range Patrol

Meal, Ready-to-Eat™ (MRE™) Requirements: Provides 1300 calories per meal 24 menus 4 vegetarian meals Weight/volume crucial Approved as sole source of food for 21 days Shelf life: 3 years at 80oF & 6 months at 100oF Current production – MRE™ XXIX (2009 date of pack)

Continuous Product Improvement Meal, Ready-to-Eat Continuous Product Improvement 226 new items approved since 1993 69 least acceptable items removed 4 vegetarian menus FDA food label w/allergens & trans fats Hot beverage bag in each meal Horizontal tear pouch New menu bag graphics More whole muscle meats More ethnic foods

Meal, Ready-to-Eat™ Improvements Beverage Pouch Commercial Foods Horizontal Tear Pouch Breakfast Meals New Graphics Hot Beverage Bag

First Strike Ration® FSR®: OTSG approved restricted ration (10 days) Calorie dense, 2900 kcals Modular- eat on the move Lightweight/low cube 3 menus, expanding to 9 Performance enhanced 2 year shelf life Continuous product improvement Available for procurement

Modular Operational Ration Enhancement Pack (MORE) High Altitude Prototype Pack Mountain Warfare Training Exercises Date: 01 Oct 08 JSN 06-11

To augment combat rations with scenario specific enhancement packs MORE To augment combat rations with scenario specific enhancement packs High altitude/cold weather/extreme exertion Combat Warfighter weight loss Decrease significant loss in cognitive and physical abilities that can occur in extreme environments To provide potential performance optimizing ingredients to the Warfighter Tyrosine for cold weather Quercetin for extreme exertion Caffeine and carbohydrate for long duration/high altitude Date: 01 Oct 08 JSN 06-11

Meal, Cold Weather/ Long Range Patrol (MCW/LRP) Dual purpose in single product MCW – Cold weather missions Lightweight/low volume Issued as 3 per day Calorically dense (4600 calories) Dehydrated components won’t freeze White meal bag LRP – Special Operations missions Issued as one per day Restricted ration 1500 calories Tan colored meal bag

Individual Combat Rations Acronyms: PCR: Performance-Based Contract Requirements Document used for military unique items & includes specific requirements & end item requirements CID: Commercial Item Description Developed by DSCP or USDA. Used to describe commercial off-the-shelf items PKG and QAP: Packaging and Quality Assurance Provisions Document that provides specific requirements & end item requirements relating to packaging and quality

Individual Combat Rations Acronyms (cont): GFM: Government Furnished Material Items procured by DSCP Includes beverages, spreads, baked items (pound cakes, breads, cookies, muffins & wet pack fruit) CFM: Contractor Furnished Material Items procured by MRE™ Assemblers Ameriqual Wornick Sopakco

New Item Introduction for Individual Combat Rations Natick In-House or Non-Developmental Item submittal Contact project officer & send to Natick if requested 2QY1 Is item appropriate for MRE? 3QY1 Item storage tested (4 wks 120F, 6 month 100F) Yes Sensory score acceptable ? No 4QY1 No further testing Item field tested No Yes Item score acceptable in the field? No Yes 2QY2 Item recommended at Joint Services Operational Ration Forum (JSORF)

Acquisition Process 2QY2 3QY2 4QY2 2QY3 3QY3 2QY2 JSORF Approved? Long Term Storage YES Develop & Coordinate Document Cutting & Document Revision, PCRs/CIDs Develop Menus Tech Data To FEST NO Coordinate With: Services OTSG VETCOM DSCP USDA FDA AMC Industry OTSG Approved END YES 4QY3 Natick Sensory Evaluation PDM Submittal DSCP Solicitation Natick Document PASS FAIL Contract Award Vendor Reproduces Product DSCP KO & USDA

Acquisition Process (continued) Contractor Inspection USDA Inspection Contract Award/ Production PASS PASS FAIL FAIL Periodic review & USDA Replenishment & Natick Replenishment Request for Waiver Accepted? Ration Assembly YES Natick Sensory Evaluation NO VETCOM Inspection Discard FAIL DATA DSCP KO DSCP QA USDA TROOP ISSUE DSCP KO PASS