Half a world away, U.S. special forces in Afghanistan looking for Osama bin Laden this Christmas week are likely munching on what used to be called “K-rations,” familiar to many Kauaians who survived one or more hurricanes as MREs (meals
Half a world away, U.S. special forces in Afghanistan looking for Osama bin Laden this Christmas week are likely munching on what used to be called “K-rations,” familiar to many Kauaians who survived one or more hurricanes as MREs (meals ready to eat).
But at the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands, most of the 100 or so active-duty personnel on the job this week are enjoying multi-course feasts, courtesy on Christmas Day of Navy families on or near the base.
There will be no breaking open of that vacuum-packed beef stew, peanut butter, crackers and punch drink you need to which you add water to mix those MRE staples. In today’s Navy, the MREs are distributed only during or following emergency and disaster situations, said Vida Mossman, PMRF spokeswoman.
The base’s informal Thanksgiving tradition of taking care of its own carried over to Christmas, with the men and women eating well on those holidays, she said.
On Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, the base galley, the Menehune Inn, was closed. On those holidays, the base’s chief petty officers and married sailors traditionally invite single sailors to enjoy holiday meals with them and their families, she explained.
Additionally, the Kaua’i Veterans Council extended a Thanksgiving invitation to the sailors to join them at Kaua’i Veterans Center in Lihu’e for a luncheon.
One senior chief petty officer said there are normally a few “shy” single sailors who remain in the barracks on Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mossman reported. They’re still urged by the chiefs to join their families for lunch or dinner, though.
The day after Thanksgiving, the Menehune Inn served up chicken gumbo soup, chicken fajitas, Mexican rice, refried beans, Mexican corn, steamed asparagus, a salad bar, dinner rolls and apple pie.
Asian stir-fried soup, country-style steak, brown gravy, parsley potatoes, mixed vegetables, fried cauliflower, hot dinner rolls, salad bar, and marble cake with chocolate icing was on the menu the day after Christmas.
Sailors aboard ships in the Persian Gulf and other areas probably at well over the Christmas holidays, as well. One PMRF senior chief, who was assigned to a ship deployed during past holidays, recalled festive meals of turkey, prime rib, crab legs and stuffing.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
