A-ration
{{Short description|U.S. military ration of fresh, refrigerated, or frozen food}}
Image:Bag nasty.jpg-issued A-ration, colloquially known as a "bag nasty" or "box nasty". In this case the box held two sandwiches, cereal, fresh fruit, crackers, peanut butter, jam, a muffin, salt, pepper, and a drink.]]
The A-ration (officially Field Ration, Type A) 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.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-18 |title=The Alphabet Soup of Army Rations |url=https://blog.fold3.com/the-alphabet-soup-of-army-rations/ |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Fold3 HQ |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite book |last=Institute of Medicine |first=Committee on Military Nutrition Research |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/923266927 |title=Not Eating Enough: Overcoming Underconsumption of Military Operational Rations |date=1999 |publisher=National Academies Press |isbn=978-0-309-55656-9 |oclc=923266927}}
The A-ration differs from other U.S. alphabetized rations such as the B-ration, consisting of canned or preserved food; C-ration, consisting of prepared wet food when A- and B-rations are not available; D-ration, consisting of military chocolate; K-ration, consisting of three balanced meals; and emergency rations, intended for emergencies when other food or rations are unavailable.{{Cite book |last=U.S. Department of the Army |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1102669230 |title=Ration Breakdown Point Operations |date=1967 |publisher=U.S. Government Publication Office |location=United States |oclc=1102669230}}
Unitized Group Ration A
A-rations today may include the Unitized Group Ration – A, a hybrid meal kit designed to feed a group of 50 people for one meal. The UGR-A has several different varieties, including a tray-based heat and serve (T-rat) form, heated by hot water immersion when a field kitchen is not available,[http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/uhsabt.asp UGR-H&S factsheet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095354/http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/uhsabt.asp |date=July 16, 2011 }} or the express form, with a self-heating module and disposable accessories.[http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/ueabt.asp UGR-E factsheet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095400/http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/ueabt.asp |date=July 16, 2011 }} The UGR-A is used to sustain military personnel during worldwide operations that allow organized food service facilities.
The UGR-A includes perishable/frozen type entrees (A-rations) along with commercial-type components and perishable/frozen type entrees to provide the luxury of an A-ration meal in the field, configured into individual meal modules for ease of ordering, distribution, and preparation. The UGR-A has at least 9 months shelf life (at {{cvt|80|F|disp=or}} for semi-perishable modules and at {{cvt|0|F|disp=or}} for perishable modules).Defense Logistics Agency, [http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/uaabt.asp Operational Rations: UGR-A] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716095808/http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/programs/ugr/uaabt.asp |date=July 16, 2011 }}
Notes
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External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130212013612/http://www.military-nutrition.com/Website on Military Nutrition Research] – This website documents more than a century of scientific inquiry conducted by, for, and about the U.S. military to promote and sustain the nutritional health of military personnel and citizens alike.
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