c. In summary, the full-service type of food facility can exist both in certain areas
of the field and in garrison. Field food service operations are designed for soldiers at
the front in the area of enemy engagement.
3-4.
FOOD SERVICE IN THE FIELD
a. The basic goal of food service in the field is to supply soldiers with sufficient
and safe nutrition so they can accomplish their mission.
b. Supplying food in a field situation can present difficulties. An actual combat
situation is often chaotic and changeable. Since soldiers are mobile and do not always
stay in the same place for any length of time, neither a soldier nor his unit can be
weighed down with bulky equipment. For this reason there are two major limitations on
food service in the field.
(1) First, there is little time or space for cooking and other food preparation
procedures.
(2) Second, there is little time or space for the safeguards, such as
refrigeration, that must be taken when potentially hazardous foods are prepared. This is
a critical problem since, as you have learned, one of the most serious health threats
from food is the growth of disease-causing microbes in potentially hazardous foods.
c. How then is the soldier in the field to receive adequate and nutritious meals
that are safeguarded from contamination? The answer is to provide food in a form that
is ready-to-eat and that limits the danger from contamination as much as possible.
Specifically, potentially hazardous foods are provided in forms that greatly reduce the
growth of microbes. Examples are preheated foods placed in airtight cans or pouches
or foods in a state of dehydration (without moisture). Figure 3-1 shows examples of
meals prepared for soldiers to use in a combat situation.
3-5.
DANGER OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS IN COMBAT
a. Meals used in the field are designed to limit the contamination of potentially
hazardous food. This, however, does not mean that there is no danger from foodborne
illness. Two practices present the greatest danger at the front. These are the practices
of not burying food waste and buying foods from local vendors. In addition, on those
occasions when hot or cold foods are brought up to the front, there is the risk that these
foods will not remain sufficiently hot or cold and will enter the temperature range where
the microbes causing foodborne illness grow best.
essentially to avoid the three dangerous practices described above. Each soldier must
be sure to BURY FOOD WASTE and NOT BUY FOOD ITEMS FROM LOCAL
MD0181
3-5