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food problem exists because they aren't actively looking for it. And, it is hard to fix
a problem which no one is sure exists.

    c.   Do not assume that a meal issued is a meal fully consumed. Specific
personnel should constantly monitor food serving lines, etc., to see which foods and
food items are being eaten, and how much of each one is being eaten, and also
which things are not being eaten.

    d.   Soldiers must be taught that food and water are tactical weapons.
Soldiers must be taught to eat and drink, whether they like it or not, whether they
are hungry or thirsty or not, etc. Generally, well disciplined and trained troops will
police their own food consumption patterns if they are convinced that eating enough
is important.

    e.   Do not permit field deployment to be used as a convenient way of
going on a diet. Even if soldiers are overweight, the lower food intake will have a
negative impact on performance.

    f.   View all weight losses as negative. Weight losses over 3% of
bodyweight can negatively influence performance, so don't let soldiers operate
under the misconception they can lose weight, and it is no big deal.

    g.   Maintain hydration status. Even mild (2.4% of bodyweight) dehydration
will reduce the desire to eat.

    h.   Use cold, preferably flavored fluids at meal times. Lack of fluids or
only having access to fluids they do not like, will have a dramatic negative impact
on the amount of food eaten at a meal.

   i.   Control use of pogey bait and other non-issue foods. Do not allow
pogey bait, carbohydrate beverages (i.e. gatorade-like drinks, kool-aids, soda, etc.)
to be used as substitutes for meals or rations. These items can be useful
supplements to the ration being given. But, they must only be used as
supplements to provide calories; they cannot be considered as a replacement for
nutritionally complete foods. Additionally, it is important that soldiers do not eat so
much of these extraneous foods, that they are full when it comes time to eat their
rations.

    j.   Serve at least 1 hot meal per day. This is probably the simplest, most
effective single thing one can do to help maintain voluntary food intake. It doesn't
matter if the 1 hot meal is a T-ration, B-ration or A-ration; all three are equally
effective. If 2 hot meals are given, A-rations are superior to T's or B's.

    k.   Ensure that each meal is prepared as well as it can be. If a meal or
single food is ill-prepared once, soldiers will always perceive that food as bad,
regardless of how well it is prepared at subsequent meals. Thus, consumption of a


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