U.S. bases in Afghanistan say goodbye to Whoppers & DQ

[Angels]

Just saw this article. I guess I can understand if this needed to be done for budget reasons but this just seems like bs to me. Was wondering if this will be a morale killer or how if it at all it will effect those there.

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/25/u-s-bases-in-afghanistan-say-goodbye-to-whoppers-dq/

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

It must have been nice while it lasted; we never had such luxuries on USS Boat. I do remember one poor soul who spent about 4 days of free time looking for the swimming pool and bowling alley though. :icon_smil

 

[phrogpilot73]

I've never been to Afghanistan - so I asked one of my classmates that has. He thought it was a horrible idea. He said that every now and then, they'd brave a ride through Indian Country just to spend a few hours at Kandahar feeling like a human again.

 

[scoolbubba]

I've never been to Afghanistan - so I asked one of my classmates that has. He thought it was a horrible idea. He said that every now and then, they'd brave a ride through Indian Country just to spend a few hours at Kandahar feeling like a human again.

Heard the same thing from my friend working patrols from what sounds like an isolated FOL when I asked him. Whenever they'd rotate back to Kandahar he said his guys just wanted to soak up some fat pills after 28 days in the field. Can't say I blame them.

Good thing the General's staff can still get their Green Beans gourmet coffee though, shit would really hit the fan if a COS somewhere didn't get his caffeine fix!

 

[SynixMan]

I saw this news a few weeks ago. Someone I talked to mentioned one of the biggest deals being the logistics of getting all the supplies into theater. As in, bullets/bombs/real supplies were more important, and having PFC Timmy ride shotgun on a convoy of Burger King though the Pakistan Mountains wasn't worth the trouble.

 

[helolumpy]

Generally the DFAC in the places there were Burger Kings were serving quality chow so that factored into the decision.
As for the second issue SynixMan hit the nail on the head WRT to $$$. Since the BK & Baskin Robbins were there under AAFEX contracts, the DOD was paying to get the supplies in country. That made the cost of a Whopper pretty freakin' huge!
Third reason is the GEN McChyrstal is a health nut.

Finally, the biggest reason was due to having ANA billeted on the same bases as ISAF troops and trying to convey the 'We're not occupying your country' theme. It's tough to make it look like we're just here to stablize and then we'll depart when you're building a little America on the compound.

 

[ftrooper]

It makes some sense for them to go, but it was really nice to have a whopper or pizza when back out of the hinterlands, a real pick-me-up to have something other than EGRs or MREs. Chow halls are ok, but a whopper and some fries with a coke were as good as it got since you can't get a beer.

 

[navymic]

Generally the DFAC in the places there were Burger Kings were serving quality chow so that factored into the decision.
As for the second issue SynixMan hit the nail on the head WRT to $$$. Since the BK & Baskin Robbins were there under AAFEX contracts, the DOD was paying to get the supplies in country. That made the cost of a Whopper pretty freakin' huge!
Third reason is the GEN McChyrstal is a health nut.

Finally, the biggest reason was due to having ANA billeted on the same bases as ISAF troops and trying to convey the 'We're not occupying your country' theme. It's tough to make it look like we're just here to stablize and then we'll depart when you're building a little America on the compound.

1) The DFAC didn't stop them from coming in, or put them out in the last 5-6 years.
2) $$$ wasn't an issue in the last 5-6 years. And there are still importing TONS of merchandise AND food for the exchanges, a far greater amount than the restuarants.
3) Bingo. McChrystal. That's the difference.
4) Nothing to do with 'occupying'. These restaurant were only on bases, and not that many. Go out in Kabul, and they have their own Fast food joints/ cafes and the such. I seriously doubt the ANA is walking around Bagram or Kandahar oblivious to the large number of troops, tents, buildings, aircraft, vehicles, hospitals, fueling stations, gyms, exchanges, spas, and MWA tents, but then sees a DQ and suddently thinks we are an occupying force.

We are surging and need the space, yet they have not announced plans to close any of the international restaturants like Ciano's. Wierd.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Again, this is my never deployed to a combat zone opinion, but I can support this idea WRT the costs/logistics issue as long as there is a suitable substitute for troops that may not be working "business" hours. Are the chow halls on these bases 24/7, or are they open only during "meal hours"? If it's the former, yeah I'd take a Whopper over chow hall slop, but at the end of the day, it's food. If it's the latter situation, however, like on CONUS bases, that's unsat. In that case, what should flight crews, or units on patrol outside of the wire, supposed to do for legitimate chow? Coming back and having all your meal options closed and having only MREs is not a good long term solution. Again, I don't have any first hand experience over there, but depending on the food situation otherwise both arguments have legitimate points.

 

[helolumpy]

1) The DFAC didn't stop them from coming in, or put them out in the last 5-6 years.
2) $$$ wasn't an issue in the last 5-6 years. And there are still importing TONS of merchandise AND food for the exchanges, a far greater amount than the restuarants.
3) Bingo. McChrystal. That's the difference.
4) Nothing to do with 'occupying'. These restaurant were only on bases, and not that many. Go out in Kabul, and they have their own Fast food joints/ cafes and the such. I seriously doubt the ANA is walking around Bagram or Kandahar oblivious to the large number of troops, tents, buildings, aircraft, vehicles, hospitals, fueling stations, gyms, exchanges, spas, and MWA tents, but then sees a DQ and suddently thinks we are an occupying force.

We are surging and need the space, yet they have not announced plans to close any of the international restaturants like Ciano's. Wierd.

I got my info from a straight from a senior member of the ISAF staff (single digit code).

 

[usmarinemike]

I've never been to Afghanistan - so I asked one of my classmates that has. He thought it was a horrible idea. He said that every now and then, they'd brave a ride through Indian Country just to spend a few hours at Kandahar feeling like a human again.

Absolutely. This is how it was in the Middle East in '03. Kuwait Naval Base was the Holy Grail. People would brave hours in the whistling shitcan of death(term of endearment, I assure you) to be able to hit the MWR facilities there. I personally didn't get to hit the food court there until it was time to retrograde and washdown. That was a huge trade off though. I'd spend an extra month in country to never have to experience a vehicle washdown ever again.

 

[Clux4]

Since the BK & Baskin Robbins were there under AAFEX contracts, the DOD was paying to get the supplies in country.

Just a little trivia. At a time, we were spending $2million every month on food at Camp Fallujah. This was when they had DFAC 1 and 2 opened.

 

[webmaster]

I just find this amusing that I got a burger king ad on this post.....

 

[Feet Wet]

The food doesn't really concern me. No big deal there. You can eat whatever. Most DFACs overseas are better than the base chowhall.

Why in the world would you strip the troops of movies though? That is a HUGE morale booster when you've been working your ass off over there (usually flying those clowns who made these decisions around). Is it too much to ask to have a recent movie for the troops to unwind and have a few laughs? I guess so.

We'll just pay the PTSD bills on the backside I guess. We are working on year 10 now, with the GWOT....people are getting tired folks...bad idea IMO.

 

[jtmedli]

“This is a warzone – not an amusement park,” he writes.

Yeah, because I'm sure that all the Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Sailors who have spent time over there completely lost site of that fact as soon as the Burger King opened up and the movie 300 made it to DVD. :icon_smil

Did it ever occur to these guys that maybe losing site of the fact that your at 24/7 war when you're over there may be a good thing? I mean, Just a thought guys....