Encampment Food

[Spike]

Every meal from Cascade Falcon 14 (WAWG Summer Encampment) was an amazing one. Particularly the Evergreen dining facility in McChord AFB but I remember looking forward every day to 2 pieces of toast with butter and jam. it helped the sore throat.

Nothing better than pieces of burnt bread grinding past your inflamed throat!  That is what I always use to get rid of a sore throat.   

[C/MSgt. White]

Surprisingly it wasn't burnt. Nice & Golden

[JROB]

For the Tennessee Wing Encampment we were at Ft. Campbell, KY the first DFAC we ate at had everyone wanting to throw up.  The one we ate ate for the rest of the week was great.

1st: Run by active army
2nd: Run by civilians (Replacement Battalion)

[RicL]

I've never had really bad encampment food at either of the (2001,2002) NYWG encampments that I attended, but both years we staffed our own chow hall with CAP personnel. Granted, it was somewhat off-putting to walk into the mess hall and see the black banner on the wall put up by mess ops that read "Kill 'em All, Let God Sort 'em Out".

[AlphaSigOU]

My basic in 2007 was at Camp Swift in Bastrop, TX. We provided the cooks and the food was MUCH better than it was at my last one using their staff. Sorta funny how that works.

Capt Joe Kaplor was the mess officer for the 2007 winter encampment - his chow is well renowned. ALERT Academy supplied the chow for the past couple of TX Wing encampments.

[addo1]

My basic in 2007 was at Camp Swift in Bastrop, TX. We provided the cooks and the food was MUCH better than it was at my last one using their staff. Sorta funny how that works.

Capt Joe Kaplor was the mess officer for the 2007 winter encampment - his chow is well renowned. ALERT Academy supplied the chow for the past couple of TX Wing encampments.

I remember that.... That was some good grub that he fixed... Alert food on the other hand.... lol

[High Speed Low Drag]

The food at Grand Forks AFB in ’83 was good – that’s where I fell in love with ham & cheese omelets.  Really didn’t have any bad food at any encampments (all I went to were on AFBs).  Best food ever was the Missouri Wing Conference in ’88 – Ramada Inn in Jefferson City. (Although this year’s Arkansas Wing Conference was good as well.)

Encampment lunches this year were not the best – “in-flight lunches” consisting of a dry sandwich, water, chips, and some form of fruit. 

The absolute worst food I ever ate was at National Special Service Corps (Blue Beret) in 1985 – the year of the Great Flood.  At Oshkosh, we were living in individual tents in a small grassy area by a latrine building.  It rained so hard that I had water coming through the tent walls.  The mess was a old, old open-fly mess tent, right next to the latrine building.  After the rain, you slogged through the mud in the tent, get your paper plate of food, and trudge back out into the rain.  I don’t remember who was cooking, but most of my money that year went to buying snacks.  Several times I’d get my food, eat a bite, and discard the rest.  Excuse me while the memory sends me back to the latrine.

[Cmdbuddy]

IL Spring Encampment on Naval Station Great Lakes.

Great chow and all you can eat for about $2 bucks. 

The Navy feeds their people GOOD!

They certainly lose money on a lot of CAP people if that's the case 

[hellfire40]

i have heard some stories that the food has no taste and that you should save the tabasco sauce. is this true?

[JayT]

i have heard some stories that the food has no taste and that you should save the tabasco sauce. is this true?

You're thinking of MRE's.

[RogueLeader]

and it depends on the mre

[raivo]

Beef ravioli. :drool:

[Spike]

^ Country Captain Chicken circa 2001.  Worst MRE ever. 

[RogueLeader]

^ worse than the Vegiterian Cheese and egg omlete?   

[Spike]

^ worse than the Vegetarian Cheese and egg omlete?   

Unless your a vegetarian, than it probably is worse than Country Captain Chicken.

I attended an encampment where all food was served from MRE trays, the kind that feeds entire units.  That was rather disgusting.  Hard MRE Bread, butter from a squeeze tube, powdered orange drink (with added vitamins and minerals!).  However, Encampment was only $35.00.  So you really do get what you pay for.

I am guessing much of Encampment cost is for food these days. 

[RogueLeader]

I am guessing much of Encampment cost is for food these days.

Thats one of the two of CCOCs big costs, are.  The other is the Verticle wind tunnel time.  Its a sweet timw, let me tell you.

[Cmdbuddy]

Here's the rule with MRE's: the shorter the name, the better.  When you get to 4-5 word descriptions, don't do it.

For example, the beef stew is phenomenal (in terms of MRE's).  Ham steak with scrambled eggs is not. 

[Spike]

^ and stay away from any powered milk drinks (milkshakes etc.).  They are (were) tainted with salmonella and ecolli (no idea how, unless made from meat by-products).

[cadet zimmerman]

CAWG 2009-

    The egg quiche, 90% water 5% egg 5% Cheese

[TACP]

WHAT?! The milkshakes are the best, any disease concerns aside. Pour the powder in a drink bag with the hot chocolate and coffee, add just enough water to make it into a pudding, and it's enough to keep you going all day.

Besides that the chicken meals are always great, usually come with decent snacks too.