Bob,

We were using mermite containers for hot chow up until around 1987. Always seemed to be mashed potatoes and some kind of soup, like onion. Then they came out with the hot meals that were in big aluminum tins (like the ones you get Italian take out in but much bigger). They were precooked at the factory and reheated using hot water inside those plastic containers (IFC's). They were usually some kind of chili mac thing...

I think I probably saw a mess tent twice the whole time I was in. We ate on our Tank mostly. Hot chow was an MRE heated on the grill doors for the turbine engine exhaust. Faster than a microwave, and I do mean don't blink.... 900 degrees will cook anything in seconds. Meatballs, coffee, wet boots, grunts looking for warmth and the occassional German who tried to cross the strasse in between a column of M1's.

Maybe Willie can tell us what they're using today to serve hot chow....