"In order for a soldier to fight well, he must first be dressed, shod, fed, trained, and only then sent to the task."
At the beginning, I wrote the first version of the article: with calculations for calculating kilocalories, with detailed calculations and tables that contained the daily energy consumption of the human body. Food service specialists, nutritionists, doctors and other paramilitary people were involved as consultants. The article was written, reviewed and approved by the big bosses. I tried to read it and fell asleep on the first paragraph.
And if I fall asleep while reading, it means that I was forced to read something extremely uninteresting.
So I decided to write a new article: in the form of a story. In it, I decided to present both my personal observations and other military personnel, as well as our experience and impressions accumulated by us on business trips and training exits.
When performing tasks of both an intelligence and a special nature, a reconnaissance officer operating as part of a special-purpose reconnaissance group, according to an extract from the order and the plan of material and technical support, of the activities carried out is supposed to have dry rations for a period of so many days. What will this ration include? And what is he in general?
I propose not to go into the discussion of the times when Soviet industry supplied the troops with “mountain summer” and “mountain winter” rations, which included canned bacon cut into thin strips, or such an exotic product as “fruit soup”. I propose to get acquainted with those products that their main consumers can count on now: the army, navy, geologists, rescuers, tourists and others.
In 1995, the so-called "green rations" appeared in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which operated in the area of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus. While fulfilling the position of company commander at that time, I was fortunate enough to receive food specialists: two intelligent lieutenant colonels from Moscow. And it happened like this.
Having received the "left" task for my company to unload the AN-12, as well as to meet and place two officers from the food department, I first wanted to start a gimmick that: "This is not our business, we are super-duper scouts; only yesterday Basayev was not caught for a little in a barbecue at the Chechen woman Louise, but he, such a bastard, bought a pack of "LM" and a chocolate bar saw us and - disappeared. " However, he did not. Scent and sharpened instinct for any "freebie" prompted me not to whine, but to go to the airfield. I was absolutely right. Two men in new camouflages lonely stuck out near the open ramp and scaredly looked at the military rushing past, the anti-aircraft complexes of the battalion guarding the airfield, and winced at the shouts of the pilots demanding to immediately release the board from the cargo. I asked them who they were. It turned out to be my "figurants".
-What kind of cargo?
- Soldering!
-New !!
-For the experiment !!!
- Yes, we have these rations … Yes, my uncle works at the ration factory … In general, we do not have any rations, and when we were born we didn’t have any rations …
Fifteen minutes later, my valiant scouts flew up in a KAMAZ. And two hours later, a scout with a submachine gun was hovering near the body, laced up and sealed by my and the seal of one of the "Muscovites". At the request of the lieutenant colonels, several boxes were removed from the body and delivered to me in the commander's tent.
After the bath, I invited the guests of the capital to treat themselves to what God had sent. Eating sturgeon barbecue and washing it down with Kizlyar brandy, my guests told what the essence of their business trip was. For the military, a new type of dry ration has been developed and it is necessary to test it in the belligerent units. As you consume new rations, you need to write down reviews, fill out questionnaires and go back with all this. When the noted shortcomings are eliminated, the production of new rations will be launched at full capacity.
That's all there is to it. Then I was shown these very "new rations", which eventually received the nickname "green".
What were they like?
Plastic bag with carrying handle and 3 sealed compartments: for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Each compartment was closed separately (like 3 jars of yogurt): I opened breakfast - lunch and dinner did not get enough sleep.
I would like to note that the experimental batch of "green" rations (before their launch into mass production) was distinguished by a wide variety of products.
The rations received during the second counter-terrorist operation were no longer the same …
So, what was there:
- 2 square cans of canned meat and vegetables (with a soldered lid).
Basically - porridge with meat: buckwheat, rice or pearl barley.
But there were also rations, where instead of porridge there was potatoes with meat.
It was much tastier than any porridge.
- 1 square jar of stews (with a soldered lid).
Beef or pork - stew is good both cold and reheated.
But when reheated, beef is best: it has more tasty broth.
Pork tastes better when cold.
It often had a label with the words "Spicy Pork" on it.
- 1 small round jar of minced meat.
Basically - "Sausage" or with "Liver" paste.
Both pate are good when used in any form: both hot and cold.
- 1 small round jar of canned fish.
At this point, our opinions are divided: someone “minded” this, and someone left it in reserve. Others used canned fish in salads.
But this is already in the LDPE.
- 1 small bag with ketchup, aka "Tomato Sauce".
- 1 sachet with concentrated milk powder.
- 2 sachets of instant coffee (somewhat reminiscent of a mixture of "Nescafe" and "Pele")
or instead of coffee - two bags of instant tea. (Very sweet tea)
The taste of the tea is barely noticeable and the smack of some kind of medicine is felt.
- 1 sachet of dry concentrated drink: "Lemon" or "Dolphin"
1 sachet dissolves in 1 glass of boiled water.
(reminds something of a soluble fizzy: like in childhood)
It can, in principle, be drunk with hot water like tea: it will taste like a very liquid jelly.
And "Dolphin" in a jar of vodka is a good tonic: checked.
- 1 packet with jam (usually apple jam).
- Sugar in paper bags (usually 2 portions of 15 grams).
- 1 multivitamin in paper packaging (1 tablet).
There were rations with a couple of sweets, usually melted together and very sweet.
The crown of all diversity is, of course, a yellowish pea concentrate briquette sealed in transparent plastic, on which is written the instruction "Chew, drink with water", which is striking in its complexity.
At first the scouts tried to gnaw him valiantly - they did not like it. Then they just started throwing it out. However, in the end, they found a use for it, but not according to the instructions. Pressed peas can be carefully cut with a knife into heated jars of porridge or stew.
You can crush several tiles, but be sure to crush them qualitatively: otherwise the peas will not swell and dissolve. Pour boiling water over, stir and add the stew. It will turn out to be quite edible pea porridge. These briquettes are also good for a stand under some furniture or for heating stoves.
Then there are such trifles as:
- 6 packs of "army bread" - they are also biscuits.
- dry and slightly unleavened cookies.
It often breaks and crumbles right in the packaging. Of course, they will not replace bread, but in the field it will do. Soldiers usually soaked a couple of biscuits in broth from stew or “fried” them in an already empty jar: this way they became much tastier. Also, these biscuits burn well in a fire or in a stove: much better than peas.
- 1 small bag of raisins, among which there are many dry grape twigs.
- Very useful thing: canned food opener. There are plastic ones: such green things, in the form of an arrowhead with a hairpin. But opening them is a whole problem, better with a knife. The main thing is not to pierce the thin jar through. And there are also metal openers, similar to a small scrap of zinc cutter. These are already much more convenient and practical.
- 1 small plastic green spoon.
- A very useful device: "portable heater" - aka taganok. It's just a slotted tin plate. This plate is attached to the blister with dry alcohol tablets that comes with the kit. After detaching from the packaging with dry alcohol tablets and a round grater, the tin was bent in a special way, forming something really like a taganok.
Sulfur is applied on the edge of the tablets: scribble the tablet on a grater - put the taganka inside and heat the stew or boil water. Very often the tablets of alcohol, despite the packaging, were damp and it was possible to light them mainly with the help of matches or a lighter.
Everyone is good with a “portable warmer”, but when lying somewhere in an ambush or daytime, when they tried to warm up food with it, dry alcohol smelled very godlessly and specifically, strongly unmasking the group.
There are also several "hunting" matches sealed in cellophane, they burn well both in the wind and in the rain, but they also stink very strongly. Well, and finally - 3 green paper napkins, and one wet: for wiping the face.
All this splendor was called IRP: Individualized Diet.
They went under the indexes (B): Combat and (P): Everyday.
Later, such rations were found almost everywhere and in all divisions of the second Chechen company. But there were very few canned meat and vegetable preserves with potatoes, if not at all. Almost all parts are now provided with such rations in daily activities. As an example, I will give an insert from the IRP-P solder used on the territory of the Siberian Military District.
Composition:
1. Army bread: 6/50 g.
2. Canned meat: 1/250 g.
3. Minced canned food: 1 / 100g
4. Canned meat and vegetable: 2/250 g.
5. Fruit jam: 2/45 g.
6. Drink concentrate: 1/25 g.
7. Instant tea with sugar: 2/16
8. Sugar: 2 / 15g.
9. Multivitamins: 1pc.
10. Heater: 1 set.
11. Paper napkins: 3 pcs.
12. Can opener: 1pc.
Well, this is the composition of the IRP-B "Chechen variant". IRP-B is completed in accordance with the requirements of TU 9104-367-004605473-99
Breakfast
1. Bread "Army" 1/50
2. Canned meat 1/250 g.
3. Dry milk drink 1/30 g.
4. Instant coffee 1/2 g.
5. Sugar 1/15 g.
6. Lollipop caramel 2 pcs.
7. Caramel "Siberian" 1 pc.
8. Multivitamins 1 pc.
9. Heater 1 pc.
10. Paper napkins 1 pc.
11. Sanitary napkins 1 pc.
12. Matches, 6 pcs.
13. Plastic spoon 1 pc.
14. Opener (for canned food) 1 pc.
15. Aquatabs 1 pc.
Dinner
1. Bread "Army" 2/50 g.
2. Canned meat 1/100 g.
3. Canned meat and vegetable 1/250 g.
4. Tomato sauce 1/60 g.
5. Dried fruits 1/20 g.
6. Drink concentrate 1/25 g.
7. Sugar 3/15 g.
8. Paper napkins 1 pc.
9. Sanitary napkins 1 pc.
10. Aquatabs 1 pc.
Dinner
1. Bread "Army" 1/50
2. Canned fish 1/100 g.
3. Briquetted food concentrate 1/60 g.
4. Jam 1/45 g.
5. Tea with sugar 1/16 g.
6. Paper napkins 1 pc.
7. Sanitary napkins 1 pc.
8. Aquatabs 1 pc.
The nutritional value:
proteins - 115 g, fats - 147 g, carbohydrates - 353 g.
Energy value: 3191 kcal
Agree that IRP-P is not the same: compared to IRP-B, there is not even a wonderful pea briquette.
I allocated one armored personnel carrier to the grocery workers, a team of five people for protection and escort, appointed the brave sergeant-major of the platoon commander as a senior. Let's go "green" rations to master the stomachs of soldiers throughout the conflict zone.
My scouts, accustomed to eating as "luxurious" as possible, hid the rations they received just "in case", while they cooked soups for themselves on a blowtorch, fry potatoes and meat, shamelessly exchanging "diesel fuel" for food, normal tea, sausage, cheese, etc. cigarettes.
After leaving for the area where the 324th motorized rifle regiment was located, the "food workers" were very surprised, observing the behavior of my soldiers.
- Imagine, commander! I had to spend the night on the block, so your soldiers did not open our rations - said one of the "Muscovites".
- We see that they have run out of home supplies - so they went on the road together with the "veveshniki" - and let's collect tribute from the cars.
Is it so possible?
Why don't they eat our rations?
I had to explain the truths that became understandable and clear only here, in the war.
If a unit performs a mission on vehicles, then despite the presence of "fashionable" packages with a hitherto unseen ration, the soldiers will still eat as they are used to. There is a real opportunity to get in the warehouse or just steal, exchange, buy normal products: meat, vegetables, bread, cereals, pasta.
You can collect much more water than when completing the task on foot.
A normal driver of an armored personnel carrier, or a driver-mechanic of an infantry fighting vehicle, always has a blowtorch with a special tripod for quick cooking and warming up of food somewhere in the troopers.
For example: in my commander's armored personnel carrier there is a small stove with a gas cylinder, which is not difficult to exchange for a tank filled in Chechnya.
Yes, there is, of course, the danger of the balloon exploding during shelling or detonation. But what danger is this, if you think soberly? Armored balloon in a special box. If the APC is flashed with a cumulative jet of a grenade launcher, then there will be no time for the cylinder.
All crews of armored vehicles have additional tanks for water, cans, plastic barrels, and rubber water tanks "RDV". So if there is an opportunity to cook normal food, which favorably differs from the table "gourd" - then why not?
In each group, platoon or crew - behind the scenes, a common decision was made to select a cook: the most intelligent and prepared scout. In my company, for example, this position had to be earned: youngsters were never allowed to such "delicate" business. Cooking was done by the most experienced and well-deserved "authorities" of the old-timers. They were also engaged in "preparations" before the exits. Agree that it is better to sip hot and rich shurpa with potatoes, onions, spices and pieces of young lamb than to eat canned stew. Even the same porridge from general military rations of simple standards will be much tastier if fried in a large cauldron and seasoned with onions and spices. The food workers agreed with my arguments and asked: what would we like to see in the rations? It is for such cases.
And then I got carried away …
But my wishes were carefully recorded.
Then, on trips around the republic, "Muscovites" listened to a bunch of the same wishes. Maybe thanks to my inflamed imagination, or maybe collective delirium, or maybe because of some factors, but soon a new type of soldering appeared in the RF Armed Forces:
RP MK (Food Ration for Small Teams).
RP MK was more diversified in terms of the range of products.
Soon the company received several tasks for conducting searches and ambushes.
It was then that new rations had to be run in in full.
At the exits, several features in the use of rations were revealed.
It is better not to open canned meat and meat-plant foods, but to reheat them with the lid closed. Nothing will be for them: the lid is sealed so that the vapors of the heated food will open it themselves when its contents are warmed up properly. An unopened tin can must be heated evenly over the fire, on both sides, as if you are frying cutlets: you put it upside down to warm, warmed up - turned the can over to the other side. This is done so that the porridge or meat does not burn.
But if you are going to add some delicacies such as onions or garlic to canned food, then of course you will have to open the jar. Plastic openers for canned food are absolutely useless, the metal version is much stronger and more functional. A couple of simple recipes for preparing exquisite dishes from the diet of combat food have also been worked out. According to the second Chechen, they will come into fashion under the names "mu-khrya meat" and "mu-khrya sweet".
Recipe "Mu-khrya meat":
Take a pound of steamed pork, olive oil, capers, one pineapple, and lettuce. What, no? Then let's do it easier. We release one compartment of the "green ration": the one that is equipped with lunch. Cut this "plastic trough" out of the package. This will be a container for preparing a dish. We heat up all canned meat and meat-plant foods and dump them into containers. We also dump the minced meat there, preferably "Sausage", chop half of the pea concentrate briquette into it and fill it all with ketchup. Mix thoroughly. So the dish is ready for one meal for three scouts. Recommended to be consumed hot. However, it does not have time to cool down (as practice has shown). Recommended to use with a spoon (scoop up more). If there is no spoon, eat everything that comes to hand: a can lid, fork, knife, twig, muzzle brake compensator). It is not recommended to eat with your hands: they can knock on them.
Recipe "Mu-hrya sweet":
Here the recipe is much more complicated. In the same way, as described above, plastic dishes are prepared, but from the compartment in which breakfast is packed. Take 3-4 packs of biscuits, and violently crumble (preferably to a flour-like state). The crumbled biscuits are poured into the dishes and filled with hot water. All this is thoroughly mixed. During the mixing process, a packet of milk powder and sugar are added. You can add a bag of instant tea or coffee to add color. The entire mass is brought to a uniform state and set aside to swell. While the first dish is being absorbed, "mu-khrya sweet" cools down, and the crumbled biscuits swell. It turns out something like a cake that you can decorate on top with funny drawings from a bag of jam. Fun and delicious! Recommended to drink with tea or coffee. At worst, you can wash it down with a concentrated drink.
The scouts also dissolved dry milk powder in a bottle with mineral water and added crushed vitamin there. The drink learned is quite high-calorie and invigorating. The next feature of rations is their inconvenience and sufficient dimensions. It is problematic to stuff such a ration into the old RD-54. You can stuff it into a raid backpack, but it will take up a lot of space.
There are several solutions to this "problem". The first option is to "unpatronize" the ration completely. Just take out all the contents and stuff it into the pockets of the backpack: ration takes up much less space in this state. But there is one drawback: throwing away plastic packaging we lose disposable tableware. The second option is to cut the packaging along the seams, but without disassembling the contents of the compartments. It will take up less space, plus there will be "dishes". The third option is to hang the rations in the package directly on the backpack: on the straps and shoulder straps. True, if there are several of these rations - a scout, pruning a "raider" on his shoulders, resembles a Christmas tree hung with very non-standard toys. Well, and the inconvenience that immediately arises after that: when landing, when passing through thickets and a dense forest - all this clings to branches and strives to break off. One plus: with every day spent at the exit - the number of rations gradually decreases, and it becomes easier and easier to carry the load.
That's basically all I can say about the "green" ration. Of course, how many people - so many opinions. Indeed, in addition to this soldering, its other standards and additions subsequently appeared.
In 2002, OGV (S) special-purpose units and subunits began to receive high-calorie rations (combat). Almost everything is the same, only the ration is smaller in size:
the size of the package of the whole ration is equal to the "lunch" compartment of an ordinary "green" ration.
There is much less galet there, and there are no cans of fish or pea briquettes at all.
But there is:
- condensed milk in a tube like toothpaste;
- briquette with high-calorie dry fruit mass (nuts, raisins and prunes: dried and pressed);
- a bag of chocolates like M & M's.
Various soldering additives have also appeared. One of them very much introduced the entire rank and file into the "lyrical" mood. In transparent plastic bags, like heating pads with a straw, there is a concentrated drink with some herbal extracts and vitamins. It tasted like diluted pomegranate or cranberry juice. When drinking this drink, it seemed to everyone that there was a certain amount of alcohol in it. Therefore, he was absorbed by the fighters with constant enthusiasm.
There was also one more additive in the form of the same briquettes from the series "chew, drink with water": only not pea, but semolina and rice. They tasted exactly the same.
Also in the ration, according to the norms of allowance, mineral water was issued for each scout. Water was part of the dry ration and was dispensed with it. The ration for one day was 2 bottles of 1.5 liters each. Mineral water was from various manufacturers. I will describe only two.
"Mercury" was basically nothing, but so far cold. But as soon as it became warm, a rotten and unpleasant taste appeared. Hot Key was good in any way. Usually, several boxes were obtained per group, which were sorted out by scouts by backpacks. Typically, packages with water received after storage were torn, and the bottles themselves were dirty and with flying off labels. But for us, it was not the form that was always more important, but the content.
Green Dog 28.2.2008, 11:51
Lucky you, the food is edible in the rations, and our (Ukrainian rations), you eat for two or three days, and that's it, at least a stone's throw to gastritis, and they are small …
RUSIVAN 28.2.2008, 20:49
Russian dry ration is the most delicious dry ration!
Join the Russian Army, and you are guaranteed tasty and high-calorie food, walks in the fresh air, communication with interesting, highly educated people, as well as training in extreme sports …
To be continued
