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When I first enlisted in the Singapore Armed Forces, combat rations were made up of canned sardines, canned chicken curry, canned baked beans, hardtack biscuits and chocolate bars.
When I went back 4 years later, combat rations came in army green packets and the variety was amazing! The packaging was strong and practical too.
We would leave the packets on the bonnets of 3 tonners and they would heat up under the Sun. Simply tear open the packets, pour out the contents into mess tins and we would have really yummy (almost gourmet, I feel) and warm meals.
I brought home a packet of red bean soup then and my mom loved it! My mom is very critical when it comes to red bean soup and she loved it! So, it must have been really good.
Anyway, a friend who went for reservist training recently told me packets and packets were thrown away as none of his fellow soldiers consumed any of the combat rations, preferring to simply dump the food packs in the rubbish bin at the end of the exercise.
It really pains me to think that so much perfectly good food is going to the landfills. All the resources that went into producing, transporting and storing the food are wasted. Of course, it is also a waste of precious tax-payers' money.
I do not understand why people would throw away perfectly good food:
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| Potato, cheese and sausages. |
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| Black pepper mushroom noodles with sausages. |
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| Baked beans, corn, cheese and sausages. |
To readers who are still serving our country either as active servicemen or reservists in the military, please don't waste food. Please don't throw away your combat rations.
Like what my mother used to tell me when I was a boy, "Think of the many less fortunate people who do not have enough to eat."
Finally, for a bit of trivia, do you know that there is a company called Singapore Food Industries (SFI)? I used to be a shareholder. They are the people who supply combat rations to the Singapore Armed Forces. I rather liked the regular and good dividends which they paid.
Soldiers have to be fed and MINDEF is a good paymaster.
Unfortunately, SFI was bought over by another company, SATS.
Yes, interesting bit of trivia, isn't it?
Related posts:
1. AK71 gets recognition from the government!
2. SATS: A nibble while learning from Rusmin Ang.
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2 comments:
Which makes SATS an interesting dividend stock ...
The wastage of combat ration is probably a case of too much of the same thing. I used to like canned sardine until I enlisted - too much sardine!
I recall that the red bean soup was a favourite, especially when we start running out of water.
Hi Lizardo,
SATS is more fairly priced now than it was a few months ago, for sure. I will be keeping an eye on this to accumulate at lower prices if it should happen. ;p
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