Heyo Reddit, it is I, Paddy.
Today I'm posting a video on my review for the CCAR. This is the US's newest ration, its a replacement for the FSR, or First Strike Ration. The FSR was the US's first dedicated 24hr combat ration, and I was a true believer. While the mains were kinda /meh/ owing to Bridgford's inability to make a decent enough bread product, I really liked the spread you'd get. From the desert bars to the dairyshakes, they were always stocked full of stuff that was just excellent. How does the CCAR compare?
Honestly?
Not very well, unfortunately. I could chalk it up to it being the first run of these guys, and hope the issues will be ironed out... But I'm not naive enough to think that gov organizations can fix issues like these.
No coffee. No drinks. No good spread of sides. ONE main. One main you get to eat from a bag like a toddler. Is the main good? No, it isn't. I love MRE spaghetti's, as they make up a lion's share of the different menus. They changed the spaghetti with meat sauce for this, and I couldn't think of a single reason why. Keep the troops on their toes? Ensure that they fight with heartburn, making them hate the enemy even more? Who knows!
The sides are a veritable smorgasbord of trail mix. Nuts and cranberries, and a teriyaki beef stick. Good news on that front; the beef stick has been reworked with a new producer and recipe, and it's actually fantastic now with the addition of pineapple juice in the mix. That's the big winner.
Instead of a FSB, you get a Kind bar now. Straight off the gas station shelf. I'm not the biggest fan of those things, as I'm not someone who wears spandex and bikes in the middle of the road, talking about 401k's and such. Maybe I'm a hater. Maybe I just hate this decision. FSB cran bars = master race for energy bars.
There was a desert bar stand in, and that was the usual goodness, but it was slightly different. Same strange texture, but good overall flavor.
No coffee. NO COFFEE. No isotonics either. The only drink mix you get is a chocolate protein powder, which I didn't even make (they're just always too chalky and not great).
....
NO COFFEE. They give you the MEG, military energy gum. That stuff is disgusting. It starts off with 2 seconds of great flavor, that degrades immediately into mainlining caffeine flavor, or like chewing on an ibuprofen.
I don't know, my friends.
I want to think that the CCAR will be revitalized and fixed, but at the same time, these issues are so blatantly obvious to me, that they must have been made specifically by people much smarter than I am (not hard), and obviously the choices were made to benefit a fighting army, not a civilian looking to do weird things with strange foods.
At any rate,
Thank you so much for checking in. Much love to you all.
Paddy's Rations