Inside US Military's Largest MANDATORY Dining Hall

[@NotWhatYouThink]

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[@عبدالله-ك9ر2ي]

We want to provide the feature of voice translation for the Arabic language. Thank you

[@fishead1967]

Air force always have awesome.chow hall...Sundays they served steak and lobster air force does get a large budget...

[@EnlistedBombin]

Marines do Mid Rats as well.... usually at 2300-0100. No everyone works the same schedule... the chow hall servers all meals except on sundays then its like brunch dinner and mid rats lol

[@rekire___]

>getting yelled and put under stress Ah yes family style

[@Scier357]

just keep in mind, in reality harassing your subordinates will only lend you a hefty punishment.

[@Weisior]

ikr

[@lc3853]

Stop it, cadet. You're not even my real mom.

[@danthemango]

Sounds like my family to be honest

[@recoil53]

There are plenty of families more dysfunctional than the early seasons of Rick and Morty. Ever been in a bar the night before Thanksgiving? There are always some people there dreading seeing their families.

[@xavyre]

I was in the Air Force and we had all four branches on our base and they all said the Air Force had the best dining halls, base facilities and housing out of the entire armed forces.

[@nathanroberson]

I also am a USAF vet. Spent time on a Navel Base. Food and housing in the USAF is the best. But give it time I’m willing to bet the Space Force will become the nicest as they have the toughest task to retain their people from going into the commercial side of the space industry. That’s why the USAF has the high standards. It’s about retaining their trained assets. The Army soldiers don’t have the same job offer opportunities.

[@Accounting4Cycling]

Army artillery vet here. I took a class that required us to stay in Air Force lodging, eat at AF DFACs, and work out in AF facilities... it was glorious! The bunks were so comfortable and it was two to a room, with a TV in the room! Way better than MREs in the field or the DFACs at Ft. Sill. 🤢

[@johnjingleheimersmith9259]

ever go to their sunday officer's brunch? It's pretty glorious. I dunno why they're so spoiled compared to the rest of the armed forces

[@Accounting4Cycling]

@johnjingleheimersmith9259 it's because they don't PCS you constantly. The savings on paperwork alone equate to their superior food! I have not had the pleasure of that brunch, though 🤣 Brunch?! Ugh, should've joined the Air Force! I wonder how the Space Force is doing?

[@DroneStrike1776]

Did you guys have chocolate fondue and ribeye? Air Force, the only branch that sleeps in 5 star hotels.

[@Nipplator99999999999]

In the Army, they just put between 3000 to 4000 MREs strapped to pellets in the middle of a field. Then had a formation on the edge of the field. At dismissed, time started and every soldier made a mad dash for a MRE. It was over in 20-30 minutes, if there was enough MREs or nobody snipped the steel straps and it took 10 minutes to free them... Great way to get in shape or stay that way.

[@mattiemathis9549]

Right? This is nothing I can relate to.

[@jberndt88]

Enlisted Air Force has to do this once. So we don’t get confused if we ever get assigned to work with the Army. It goes down differently. You hear people cry “vegans get to go first”.

[@armybeef68]

Yea, you keep telling yourself that.

[@tribex11]

That formality of how to dish and eat looks like some odd torture

[@szlomobronsztajn3115]

I kinda understand where it came from, you gotta remember that military is a melting point of different classes, upbringings etc., there are some people that for the love of God can't eat, or better said, are disgusting to watch eating with all the smacking, eating with the open mouth and food falling off their mouth. And this is what military sadly has to do, teach people the basics that no-one has taught them.

[@tribex11]

@@szlomobronsztajn3115 definitely been around those people and I get what your saying for sure it just seems like somewhere along the line it got over corrected. Had a guy sit opposite me and eat a salad roll with an open mouth and bits of it all over his face and clothes one time and I'm no snob but jeeze 🤮

[@danielernandes4989]

@@tribex11My brother attended USAFA from 2008-2012, and it isn't as bad as the video makes it seem. Yes its very rigid and I'm not going to make it seem like its very *pleasant*, but they do make sure the cadets have enough to eat and stay healthy. The highly regimented meals are just another way to instill discipline in the cadets, and from the officers I have spoken to, most of the ones that make it all the way through do not resent it as they understand the why behind it. They definitely didn't enjoy it, but they understand it. Also, you don't get told to recite knowledge after your first year, and once you're in your third year, after a summer exercise and a ceremony known as Commitment, you are allowed to relax a lot more. By the way, this is just a small part of the regimentation of the cadet's day. Underclassmen, specifically first year cadets, are absolutely required to walk across the Terrazzo(the academy's main plaza in the center of the residence buildings and classes) on ONLY the light-colored squares. You can see the Terrazzo and its paths at :43 in the video. Additionally, they have to carry their backpacks by the handle, not on their backs. Class schedules are very tight, and there is plenty of physical education and military exercises in addition to the classroom education required to graduate. The service academies are 4-year colleges, and everyone graduates with a Bachelor degree in addition to their commission into their respective branch.

[@recoil53]

It doesn't look formal, it looks robotic.

[@theregalproletariat]

It's a game, right? They're testing you to see if you can play by the rules - i.e. you're a good soldier who'll follow orders. Plus it keeps things orderly.

[@scottstewart5784]

I ate at Mitchell hall @ USAFA for 4 years in the 80s - the food was excellent always. The video said only seniors can "relax" at the meals - that's not true - only the freshmen (doolies) get braced or knowledge checked. The seniors are in charge, but the other two years can also "train" the doolie-wads. In fact, most seniors are thinking of their first assignment and are "over" training doolies, and leave it to the sophomores and juniors. There is the occasional "stract" senior though.

[@neubauerjoseph]

Also I used to cook on uss Nimitz, we would make breakfast and uncooked leftovers. According to the U.S. navy book nav sup p486 it says we can only keep leftovers hot for 2 hours so rather you cook it and have to cool it or trash which is most of the time and cook the uncooked leftovers. But the Midrats is mostly the night crew but in a carrier it’s hungry sailors and night crew.

[@meltdown6165]

Typical military hazing & indoctrination to make you follow ANY order without thinking because it comes from some higher up, regardless of how non-sensical it is. This is what made the great genocides of the 20th century possible.

[@thilakdissanayaka2330]

"When you are starving, food tastes delicious anyway." - NWYT

[@muhazreen]

My instructor once told us, "Hungry is the best sauce, that why hot sauce is not allowed😂". Someone try smuggle hot sauce into the field😂

[@Torgo1969]

"The best chef is an empty stomach" - Boris

[@Retly_Ai]

Air Force food can be a hit or miss depending on where your stationed. But I do think the Air Force has decent options for the most part. My only helpful criticism to give you is to look up nuclear submarine seamen diets. They get the best food overall to help morale since they don’t really get the chance to see the outside for prolonged durations

[@spammyoliveolive8507]

Some days we got plain noodles and peas. Other days surf and turf. The rolls were always a crowd favorite. Overall though it wasn't that great, it really boiled down to how much the cook liked his job or not. We ran out of eggs, milk and fresh fruit/veggies after a few weeks at sea. I usually ended up eating once a day, after watch. The extra 10 minutes in the rack was usually worth skipping meals.

[@JASONHJEFFERSON]

osan air base had pretty decent food

[@TXnine7nine]

Joins the Air Force to see the world. Gets sent to North Dakota.

[@Retly_Ai]

@@TXnine7nine Rip

[@Torgo1969]

My dad was a submariner in the 1960s and he said he ate a lot of lobster!

[@cybercat7851]

I love how they have an MQ-9 chilling in the lunchroom

[@Crimerenegade]

"Oh You don't like broccoli Cadet?... Mr MQ-9 does not like it when someone doesn't eat veggies... so does his little friend Mr. R9X....."

[@loginlover]

@@Crimerenegade I was there when they put that static display up in the hall over a summer there. My roommate and friend was prior ammo and mentioned they marked the missiles with yellow "live munitions" bands

[@brentonherbert7775]

US forces: Sitting family style promotes comradely. Also US forces: Expect to be called duely which means slave.

[@markstolarski9525]

The freshmen at the U.S. Air Force Academy only have squiggly marks on their shoulder boards, which are called "dooleys". That is why the freshman there are called "dooleys" instead of "plebes".

[@thanksfernuthin]

Long ago, 80s-90s, Air Force had the best chow halls and it wasn't considered close. The Air Force had a unique situation. If you find yourself in a war and want to survive it, Air Force is the choice for most so they had the least trouble getting recruits, if they could pass the higher intelligence test requirements. Anecdotal: I scored insanely high on the ASVAB (military vocational test). Afterward recruiters from every branch called my home and eventually visited... except the Air Force. My dad was in the Air Force so we called them, "Oh, yeah. We saw that. We were going to call you." That dynamic played out throughout my military service. The other branches paid very large bonuses to keep their members in but the Air Force kept people around with a higher quality of life... and food. I would expect the Space Force will likely take top spot on the military food chain if it hasn't already.

[@geeussery8849]

prob so but I have to say Navy has some fine fine chow!

[@thanksfernuthin]

@@geeussery8849 I was stationed with all branches, CIA, FBI etc in Monterey California. The Navy had the second best chow hall to be sure. And my best friend there was in the Navy!

[@direwolf6234]

in the air force it's the officers that go and fight while most stay back on base ...

[@thanksfernuthin]

@@direwolf6234 Yeah. That most didn't include me. And it doesn't include most of the bomber crews that had a much higher fatality rate in WWII than ground forces. You're thinking fighter pilots mostly and frankly the kill ratio of USAF to enemy pilots has been ridiculous for several decades. But I get your point. All this doesn't detract from the statement that if you want to survive a war, be in the Air Force.

[@NMJZ]

A few things to point out: As far as the Army TRADOC installations go, AKA bootcamps, you were mostly spot-on. You eat at the DFAC three times a day, and every meal is a minimum of 15 minutes, per regulation. The food is color coded to show the trainees how healthy each food item is, and you can choose what you want to eat. What you didn't mention is that you are always marched to the DFAC in formation by the Drill Sergeants for every meal, while they call cadences. Filing in and out of the DFAC is a very efficient affair, with the servers being pre-determined before you go(the trainees volunteer or are volun-told for that) and the trainees at the back of the formation are the ones who hold the doors open. You have to side-step throughout the serving area, holding your tray the right way and whilst making the correct facing movements. The Drill Sergeants will probably make the experience 10 times more stressful for everyone, especially during Yellow/Red phase, just to see how much stress you can take, because after all, you're not guaranteed 15 minutes if you're in a combat zone and you have to eat in perfect silence lest your table is made to get up early, thanks to you. Bringing weapons to the DFAC? Stack your weapons outside, neatly, and post a weapons guard, who eats last. Once everything is done, you form up again and march back. How do I know all this? Because I was formerly a trainee in D Co., 4-39 IN BN, Fort Jackson, US Army Basic Combat Training academy. "Never Retreat!"

[@natodeltaforce342]

Dangers lead the way!! I graduated from fort Jackson same Company and bat as you literally months ago, we never ate at the DFAC though when I was their

[@NMJZ]

@@natodeltaforce342 OMG no way! Yeah, when we were a day away from graduation the SDS told us that they would ditch the DFAC for hot-As in mermites for every cycle of trainees going forward after several bad experiences with the civillians who run the DFAC. Fun fact: the DFAC we went to when we did get a chance to go was the 1-34 DFAC, because the actual 4-39 DFAC was nearby BN HQ where A co. and B Co. were situated, making it too far away to be practical. Such fun times..... DAGGERS LEAD THE WAY

[@jeraldbottcher1588]

Yeah I went to basic back in the 70's. Meal time went pretty quick. From the time the 1st one went in until the last one was back in formation was usually 20 minutes on the button, except for the evening meal after the 2nd week of training. then it was 30 minutes.

[@scottw2661]

I just graduated from for Jackson 4/11 and bro you’re spot on lol. We got the DFAC if we were lucky but mostly Hot As or MREs. I was in Bravo company 3-13. Bulldogs lead the way!

[@charlesgantz5865]

I'm not sure if it is still this way, but the amount of time you had to eat depended on your height. The ranks were filled by height, with tallest in the first rank, then next tallest in the second, and so on. Each rank was also by height, so from the front it very nicely went from tallest to shortest. Then you entered the mess hall with the first rank (tallest) first, then next tallest, etc. So, the shortest guy always went last and had the least amount of time to eat. The tall guys had a nice leisurely meal.

[@KeithHouchens]

midnight meal was one of the best in the Air Force, eggs anyway you wanted them, pancakes, french toast with melted butter and hot syrup, hash browns, sausage gravy and biscuits, SOS, bacon, sausage, ham, danish, toast etc.

[@work6312]

Back in the day we would leave the club put our uniforms on and go eat midnight chow. Finish change clothes and go back to the club. It was the best meal of the day.

[@xPersianxKing]

“That’s not my sexy voice” *SUBSCRIBED*

[@gregorygarfield2376]

Most of these clips are from basic training at the academy with a lot more formality and rush. During the school year things are quite a bit different.

[@starwarsstuff8926]

The Navy navigate by the stars, the army sleeps under the stars, and the Air Force pics there hotels, judging on the stars.

[@Linusgump]

Yeah, and the Marines go to the field when it rains, so there are no stars.

[@starwarsstuff8926]

@@Linusgump lmao fr

[@delisa8575]

@@Linusgump The crayons are on the boat, so follow the Navy lol

[@Muffy-b1g]

😄😄😞

[@armybeef68]

One night two stationed men were sleeping in the field, and the one man woke up and said to the other Sergeant, "Look up and tell me what you see?" So the man woke up, still groggy, looked up and said, "stars." So the other man said, "what does that mean to you?" The sergeant replied, "It's going to be nice out tomorrow???" Then in return he asked, "What does it mean to you." The man replied with "It means that somebody stole our tent!"

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

The Navy always had good food. Even during boot camp. I can only imagine it's gotten better since I served 30 years ago.

[@jimwjohnq.public]

Service week in boot camp was a joke. There was no pride in the 'food' they turned out. As a matter of fact on a couple of ships I was on, the cooks took no pride in the 'food' they turned out. It was a different story if they were cooking for the CPO mess or wardroom because they did not have to deal with all the BS from the unwashed masses (E-6 & below).

[@isaiahbaggett5014]

I was in the Air Force and was stationed at Buckley, AFB, a joint command in Colorado. The other services were amazed at our food, and it was not even the best by far. In basic training, we sat and ate in a certain way too. We couldn't even look up or talk. not until the last week.

[@blankityblankblank2321]

It looks almost otherworldy, but being able to feed 4000 people in 30 minutes itself is otherworldy sooo

[@0anant0]

The dining halls in the semiconductor fabs across China and Taiwan are crazy! They feed way more than 4000 ppl , but there are no formations to get in :-)

[@pcy113]

3:13 just wanted to say that the 'k' in 'kcal' stands for kilo, so most people eat 2000 kilo-calories per day, you would be starving with only 2000 cal/day

[@Extinction_Vortex]

You are right, but "Calorie" (with an uppercase C) is the same as a kcal and can be used interchangeably.

[@ykoin8408]

Yes, but Megacalories just do not have the same ring to it :)

[@pcy113]

@@Extinction_Vortex I looked it up and it's true 💀 who tf choose to call a kilocalorie a Calorie knowing it would just cause problems 😳

[@willythemailboy2]

@@pcy113 As with nearly everything else wrong with the world, blame the French.

[@Specter_1125]

@@pcy113the vast majority of people will never have cause to measure anything in lower case calories, so it doesn’t really matter.

[@mychalriccio3499]

You did forget the one service academy with the best food: the Coast Guard Academy. With 1/4 the number of mouths to feed, it's much more likely that overall quality is preserved. It's certainly nothing compared to a home cooked meal, but every exchange cadet/mid from the other academies that come to New London for a semester has consistently said the food at CGA is better.

[@topcatandgang]

i was in the army on a field support group. one month we stayed at an air force barracks while the army aquired a new location for us. that month was the best for all 16 of us. we got to sleep late, eat the best food we ever had, got to have seconds and didn't have to rush through it. for that month we felt like we joined the wrong service. so yes the best food is in the air force.

[@paulbrooks4395]

Submariners are supposed to have the best food or menu, to keep morale up. This takes all takes me back to my food service days in university, where the operations were nearly 24/7, as there were places open late and we had to begin hours before first classes.

[@SunriseLAW]

Nuclear subs have the best food.

[@Asianevermore]

People really have no idea the difference between enlisted boot camp and officers academy…. All branches academy have the same set up : National War College is probably the best since it’s set up for global diversity-yes they teach cultural customs through food to know about locals. Naval academy, West Point, US coast guard academy and Air Force Academy are all the same with food and routine.

[@rotorhead0727]

submariner here...fast attack...deployments limited anything 'fresh'. Meat was frozen and 90% of everything else was canned. It became clear why the emergency antidote locker was located just outside crews' mess....

[@DtWolfwood]

i dont know why i love logistics videos so much, but i do!

[@kennethralcock]

I was enlisted active duty USMC 1986-1990. I know that I ate at the following chow halls/galleys/messes, listed in more-or-less chronological order: NOTE: I'm sure there were other places I can no longer remember. 1. Receiving Mess, MCRD San Diego, CA - USMC 2. Chow Hall, Camp San Onofre [School Of Infantry (SOI) / Infantry Training School (ITS)], Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC 3. Chow Hall, Mainside (HQ), Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC 4. Chow Hall, Talega (Recon), Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC 5. Chow Hall, Camp Horno (1st Marine Regiment), Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC 6. Enlisted Mess, USS Belleau Wood LHA-3, - USN 7. "Top of the Rock" Main Chow hall, Eareckson Air Station, Shemya, Alaska, - USAF 8. "Seafarer's Galley", Subic Bay, Phillipines, - USN 9. Mess Hall, Marine Barracks, Subic Bay, Phillipines - USN 10. Camp San Mateo (5th Marine Regiment/1st Combat Engineers), Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC 11. Enlisted Mess, Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, CA - USN 12. Chow Hall, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, CA - USMC 13. Enlisted Mess, Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA - USMC 14. Enlisted Mess, Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Virginia Beach, VA - USN 15. Enlisted Mess, Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico - USN 16. Enlisted Mess, NSGA Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico - USN 17. Enlisted Mess, Naval Station Norfolk, VA - USN IMO, of the places I listed above, the top 5 in food quality were: #17, #1, #2, #13, #3 In my experience, military food is generally better quality when the dining facility is closer to the mainland 48 states, or to a major military supply chain hub, especially when the facility is close to a headquarters. The exception to this generalization would have to be the mess facilities of Marine Corps Boot camp, and by extension, the chow hall at School Of Infantry (SOI) / Infantry Training School (ITS) in Camp Pendelton, CA, which also served USMC recruits meals when I was in boot camp and we did our 2 weeks of field training and our of Rifle/Pistol qualifications. When I shipped off to Boot Camp, I stood 5' 9.5" and I only weighed 138 lbs. The Doctors ALMOST prescribed me Double Rats, until they learned I was a farm boy. They accurately predicted that I would not need to consume the extra calories in order to put on enough weight to be more in-line with the Marine Corps guidelines for my height. I was 17 when I went to basic; 3 months later, we took our photos for our IDs prior to graduation (2 weeks before my 18th birthday), I then stood 5'11" and I weighed 158 lbs. The Corps stacked 20 lbs on me in just 3 months, and did it while I hit a growth spurt. The food on a Navy base is usually better than the food aboard a ship. If I had a nickle for every meal we ate aboard the USS Belleau Wood that was mainly Chicken and Rice, I could literally afford a Steak Dinner, even at today's prices! However, I do remember that after every major operation we completed (these were all peace time when I was in), they would serve us Steak and Lobster aboard the USS Belleau Wood. Another interesting note when I was stationed at Camp Horno (1st Marine Regiment), Camp Pendelton, CA - USMC, the chow hall there implemented a Baked Potato and Chili Bar, that was really well done. A lot of guys in my unit would smash that bar at least once or twice a week, whenever the main chow line had something else they didn't care for too much. And if we had 15 minutes to eat chow in boot camp, then I'll be a monkey's uncle. Our Drill Instructors spent some of the last few days in boot camp coaching us to count our chews when we went back home to eat with our families. A Marine recruit can literally inhale a 7 course meal in 5 minutes flat, through a straw if necessary!

[@paaat001]

LOL My future wife and her family were amazed at how fast I ate my food.

[@jeraldbottcher1588]

I still have to intentionally slow down how fast I eat when in company.

[@plumeria66]

You never went overseas to Okinawa? So many Marine Corps bases there.

[@kennethralcock]

​@@plumeria66 I only went to Okinawa when the USS Belleau Wood stopped in there twice; once on the way to Korea for Operation Team Spirit, and a second time on the way back from Korea to the Philippines. We only had a single day of liberty each stop, so I didn't have much time to explore the island. To be 100% honest there was a Burger King right near the pier on the base. At that point in our deployment, the 18 year version of me could not remember the last time he had enjoyed a Bacon Double Cheeseburger. No mess hall in the world could have kept me away from a taste from home, even if it was only fast food!

[@jeraldbottcher1588]

I was in the Army and I spent some time at Fort Story VA, SO I had the opportunity to eat at a few of those places on the east coast. The enlisted mess at Norfolk was fantastic as well as NAS Oceana and Dam Neck. Made our mess halls in the Army look like a joke!

[@puirYorick]

All that regimented bullying disguised as a proud tradition is what stopped me from considering that path for my education.

[@asylumental]

Yup. No wonder USA struggles to get the new recruits they need

[@dallasyap3064]

Probably the unreported hazing culture as well I assume?

[@puirYorick]

@@dallasyap3064 To say the least. I typed out a longer reply which YT deleted immediately. In summary, wild Asian elephants are "trained" to become living tractors by the same methods. Cheers.

[@zasterheffor]

The regimented bullying exists as psychological conditioning for war, where you will face harsher realities regularly.

[@puirYorick]

@@zasterheffor I'm fully aware of the theory. I have seen the official film since my junior school days. Knowing what it claims to be doesn't make me accept it as best practice at all. "It's for your own good" or "You'll thank me for this later" have been used to justify abuse and bullying throughout human history. One of the saddest aspects of bullying is when the survivors proudly claim that it made them the wonderful person they are today or that it did them no harm and probably saved their life. If I accepted sincere personal belief as proof then I'd accept that any supernatural belief was equally true and valid based on how popular such assertions of belief happen to be shared. The rising popularity of internet-spread wild conspiracy theories is one result of such lack of critical thinking.

[@AlexGrom]

"How did the navy solved the food allergy problem?" Not getting any personel with it, certainly not the answer I wanted to hear 😅

[@plumeria66]

Yeah, what happens if someone develops an allergy? Would they get booted off the ship/submarine?

[@fjb4932]

My sister appied to join the Air Force after college. Denied. Why ? Allergic . . .to CATS ! Is the enemy going to send cats to attack her ? ☆

[@jimwjohnq.public]

Unless they changed the standards, if you are allergic to wool - gone. If you are a bed wetter -gone.

[@SwanOnChips]

Thanks for covering this!

[@jamesabc372]

I was a" 622" in 1975. We used Navy recipes in the main base kitchen. All the food was AAA grade ,even the eggs!😊

[@GOPnot4me]

I was an Opticalman in the Navy 50 years ago. I always volunteered to do periscope maintenance whenever possible. Chow on a submarine never disappointed. Those guys were serious about their food.

[@noahkleugh9323]

I was USAF 75-95, and all the mess halls/dining facilities I ate in were excellent. By far though, the absolute best was at the base I was stationed at in the Nevada desert. Tonopah

[@Yxalitis]

I don't know what it is, but your videos are so...watchable, you have a real knack for just telling stuff in an interesting way, even something as 'boring' as a cadet meal. Well done. Next time I want exploshons though!!

[@garymathena2125]

After basic when I was in (40 plus years ago) we ate c rats. You usually didn't eat for the first ten minutes, that time was spent trading. No one wanted the pork loaf or the scrambled eggs w/ ham chunks. Everybody wanted the pound cake; it was really good w/ peaches. We didn't have any of this good for you food crap, it started in 1985. Before that it was sh** on a shingle, fried chicken, spaghetti and meat balls and the thing I will never eat again veal parmesan. The thing you can always count on though was a FANTASTIC Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. The cooks went all out for the holidays, you may eat the same thing two or three times a week before and after. Most people don't realize the military works within a budget, and the mess hall is no exception.

[@korakys]

I was in the air force, the New Zealand air force, and the manner of eating depicted here is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen 😂 Time to eat was for sure a pressure but we just staggered the times that every group starts lunch at. The USAF sure goes way harder than should be necessary. Oh, and here it was thought the navy had the best food and the air force the worst although our food noticeably improved a couple of years in-due to a rethink.

[@brentbarr498]

Very enjoyable video. My family has every branch of the DOD covered to include Coast Guard and I can tell you FIRST HAND your research was correct. Air Force DFACs offer the BEST food of all the branches. Hell, we don't even go to war unless there is a 5-star hotel for us to billet. ;)

[@terminalhn6095]

9:12 that guy on the right has a half chub

[@chu121su12]

finally i caught the glimpse of the iconic academy ever since viewing it on ra2

[@nwlandas]

The videos in the Academy mess halls show freshman during their “basic training” in the summer; it’s much more relaxed during the school year. Also, the Naval Academy does have vegetarian options, although they are very limited.

[@DroneStrike1776]

Heard the US Marines have red and purple crayons.

[@jasonclay6218]

Having served in the Marine Corps. For a year I had the pleasure of working for the Navy while being stationed on an Air Force base. In my experience, Navy food on ships beats them all. Surprisingly, my second choice, would be at a particular chow hall at MCAS Camp Pendleton. Air Force is most consistent across all the bases I been too. Fort Sill Army base ranks up there for me.

[@fedbia2003]

LMAO!! "As fast as 15 minutes, door to door." I have to say no. I still remember being told "Get your food. You will not sit down. You will walk to the trash area. DO NOT THROW AWAY GOOD FOOD! EAT WHILE YOU'RE IN LINE!"

[@justinfowler2857]

Cutlery? The chair force is definitely spoiled.😅

[@Dov_ben-Maccabee]

Best mess hall I ever ate at was at Naval School of Health Sciences, Balboa, San Diego. After the grinder bird and ketchup & noodle spaghetti at RTC - Balboa was gourmet quality : lobster newburg, veal marsala, beef stroganoff & death-by-chocolate cheesecake were my faves.

[@Edico999]

They all look so happy - not!

[@Weisior]

Youd look like this too after an exhausting morning lol

[@nautifella]

I was raised by a USAF career enlisted man, 30 years security police CMS. Every four years - starting when I was 6 mons old - we crossed an ocean.... and changed coasts. I served in the Navy during the 80s and we changed duty stations every fours years as well. However, we could frequently change commands - Ship, sub, airwing, shore duty - and stay at the same massive naval station. On submarines, the officers and chiefs eat from the same pots as the crew. The chiefs had a table on the mess decks and the officers had table service in the wardroom.

[@zerstorer335]

I don’t know that the Air Force FOCUSES on homesteading as much as it may allow it more than the other services. Part of that can come from how certain aircraft are only at certain bases. If you’re trained to operate or maintain a particular aircraft, it may make more sense to let you stay where that aircraft is than to send you somewhere where you’ll have to train up on a new one. But if your specialty is one that easily transfers to any base (electrician, medical, security, communications, etcetera), they’re much more willing to move you around every few years to gain experience because any training time would be minimal or nonexistent.

[@justahamsterthatcodes]

I was a month in the Finnish army. I got really sick and had to return because of that. I will go back and complete my service at a later date. When we ate each company had a assigned time to arrive into the dining hall. We marched in formation in front of the doors and formed a line. Then we went though a line where we picked up our trays, cutlery, plates, cups. Then we have food in steel pans where we put as much as we wanted on our plates, walked to a table, ate, then we put our empty trays onto a conveyor and walked back to our companies in our own accord. The food was actually really good!

[@korakys]

This is almost exactly how it works in the New Zealand air force. No conveyor though.

[@ntdscherer]

This makes me even more glad I was never in the military.

[@noahzajac8660]

I’ve heard from my family (that has a history in all branches) that food on submarines is the best because you don’t get any sunlight, internet, or most other amenities in other bases or ships

[@ronxlii]

1971 Fort Dix Induction Center Mess Hall. We served 3000 Turkey dinners for lunch. I know because the platoon I was in got to pull KP that day. That mess Sargent knew how to run that place. Started at 3 am. Got breakfast ready, then started getting those turkeys into the ovens. I was really impressed at how well that mess hall was run.

[@TwoYeets]

Many Marine Corps chow halls also have mid-rats, typically serving breakfast food for all the shift workers and insomniacs. This is a gift from the ghost of Chesty Puller to all the drunk Marines at 1am in the middle of the week, stumbling across the street for an omelete with the bros.

[@SkyhawkSteve]

True. I was stationed at MCAS Yuma around 1980. My squadron ran three shifts, and 3rd shift ("mid crew") would break to go to mid-rats. If memory serves, there was the option of a simple dinner menu (hamburgers or such) and a simple breakfast menu. I think the hours were closer to 3 or 4am in Yuma, and I don't recall anyone other than mid-crew folks showing up.

[@FERNANDOAMENDIVIL]

“IF EVERYONE IS THINKING ALIKE, THEN SOMEBODY ISN’T THINKING.” George S. Patton PERSONALLY, “I WOULD NEVER SURRENDER My FREEDOMS TO THINK, SPEAK & ACT LIKE ANYONE’S GODless-CONtrolled ROBOT … PERIOD.”

[@reddevilparatrooper]

I was in the Army as an Airborne Infantryman and as a regular infantryman from overseas to state side. Army food was standard especially in combat arms mess halls with the exception of Cavalry. I visited a few times at Air Force mess halls and they were average like the Army but better decor. I grew up Navy when I was a kid, and got to try Navy food again and honestly the Navy and Marines have the best food in my experience because they have sea duty for 6 months at a time being on a ship or an aircraft carrier.

[@coenicorn]

that food looks so good tbh

[@iq_by_0303]

tbh this doesnt look like its very efficent

[@JS-sj3dn]

That's luxurious, 20 minutes to eat while the food is served to the table.

[@desyncer]

Eating Army chow taught me to not be a picky eater. I picked up the habit of always getting a big scoop of potato salad and just mixing all the shit on the menu into it so I could actually shovel it all down. Anytime I ever ate in a different branch's mess hall, the food was so much better.

[@meloralovesdarkness2495]

AMAZING! TY to ALL You Vets out there, I am Grateful! Thank You! 😍

[@AbbyNormL]

I remember in bootcamp hearing “20 minutes and 20 minutes only!” screamed continuously during every meal.

[@HurBenny]

I have the misfortune of tasting the US army food during a cooperation and assumed we were the victims of a heinous crime, but the logistics were certainly impressive and the behaviour was impeccable. Good men subject to a questionable procurement chain, this.

[@SaraphDarklaw]

11:15 Oh god, I remember being told I had double rations in basic. I was so paranoid about standing out in any way that I refused them and sat with everyone else. Kids with double rats had to sit apart from everyone else and I don’t want that kind of attention. It wasn’t until near graduation that the drill got on my case because I was still underweight.

[@raymondpalacios3032]

USAF retired here. We definitely have the best chow halls and definitely the best golf courses. 😊

[@UltimatePostman]

Prior service Air Force here, our dining halls were pretty decent. Your first meal in basic will be the worst due to all the stress. But being yelled at makes all the food taste better. However, I've heard a rumor it that if you're in a sub, you have the best food. Can any Navy back that up?

[@Dan-rx3fq]

Served 12 years USAF and was at many joint bases, by far USAF had the best food and dorm rooms.

[@gaveintothedarkness]

Great video! if anyone wants to see more of this, business insider youtube channel has a lot of this type of mess hall video.

[@stevenstreets695]

My dad was a USAFA cook. Breakfast is THE LAW. I ate there too. Milk shake machine was "thank you taxpayers very much"

[@chillaxter13]

Everything I've seen says that the service with the best food is the forgotten one... Coast Guard.

[@ann._.ika12]

On an Airbase in North Dakota that I work as HR on, we have civilian restaurants and bigger brands at a commerce area, such a store we call BX comparable to a kmart or target, we have a popeyes chicken which was the only one in a local area until a one was undergoing construction very recently. There are other local owned resturants that are under 5SCC, and others that are coffee shops that are connected to airforce owned restaurants. Most airbases in the state (we have two) Minot AFB and grand forks AFB, Minot specializing in the missile wing (minuteman missiles) and grandforks in drone operations (Lockheed Martin) being stationed on these bases you will generally eat extremely well and get luxuries, bowling public swimming but Minot and Grand forks are comparable to small cities that are just closed off

[@lars277]

When I was in the Army in 1974-1977, the Army chow was great, on garrison. The chow at Ram-Stein Air Force base was the best.

[@mesaeddie]

Hardest job I ever had was service week in Navy Bootcamp in 1969. I was assigned to the chow hall to help the cooks. 3 meals a day for around 9000 recruits.

[@Dov_ben-Maccabee]

Ha ha!!... I was on 'earthquake watch' for my service week at San Diego RTC. Never mess cranked a second while aboard ship.

[@stelladavis7832]

They eat like they are in a horror movie

[@dtrain-uwu]

I can stand military discipline but as soon as another classman starts bossing me around at the lunch table, I'm fighting.

[@tommyrq180]

You’d last one day. Because not only would you be judged to be an idiot and expelled, but you would be in the hospital.

[@_tuxedocat]

Only 30 minutes and they all look like slow robots pausing between each action or motion.

[@aliozanerbektas]

And people ask why recruitment numbers are all time low...

[@tommyrq180]

Not for the service academies. Maybe you don’t understand. This is about SERVICE ACADEMY dining. Not the regular military. And for the record, USAF Academy always has way, way more applications than admitted. As in multiples. Same for the other two service academies. They are some of the most selective universities in America as a result. Now for regular military recruiting, the Air Force always gets its quota. The other three are having trouble.

[@tomc.7520]

I miss Sunday steak cookouts on the fantail of the USS Dale down in the Caribbean. Sunny skies, clear blue water, and good music. The good ole days. Swim call!

[@Bagas-114]

For April's Fools, you should make a video with the saying "It is what you think." That would be cool. Just saying

[@TheeYellowDart]

I've never understood why US Academys have cadets dine and eat in this manner. It's inherently inefficient.

[@tommyrq180]

It’s inherently EFFICIENT. That’s the point. In, eat, and out to class or athletics.

[@ThorOdinson-s8m]

The largest dining hall is in San Antonio. It’s called Slagel dining facility at Ft Sam Houston.

[@rongendron8705]

On my last day of "Zero week", before Army Basic training started, I was picked to work at Battalion Mess, which served all the day's meals for 3,000 soldiers! I got there about 4 a.m. & didn't leave until 7 p.m. I don't think that I ever worked as hard, before or after, in my entire life! I can't imagine doing that, over & over again! p.s. (It was on "Good Friday" 1964, the same day as the Great Alaskan earthquake!)

[@rosaria8384]

This video honestly makes me hungry, while learning how military dining makes for solid camaraderie. Camaraderie and cooperation makes a huge difference, on and off the battlefield...

[@freefireug]

He already has

[@tommyrq180]

You get it. Thanks.

[@EyesOfByes]

This makes the Nobel Prize banquette dinner look easy

[@Arshiyaomera88]

Old title: how to eat 4000 meals in 29 mins and 59 second

[@rovermiles1]

12:39 - Airforce has the best everything. Army and Marine Corp budgets are exhausted by machines and man power and the Navy by the ships. The Airforce has planes, but they don't suck down as much budget which is why some airforce bases have golf courses.

[@xTheRedShirtX]

I never knew food allergies wasn't allowed for the navy. But it makes sense as to why they have that rule in place.

[@rafa_v1.0]

Wow and they are getting prepared hot food at the table! This is great!

[@yaseen157]

I dont have military experience nor do i live in thr US but i was under the impression submariners get better food "underway" than their surface ship comrades to keep morale high when stuck underwater with no sun!

[@ryansmadrigal2808]

Camp Schwab chow hall the best plus always seeing Schwab cat on the way up RIP

[@garymiller5937]

Very interesting! I had no idea they are treated like this 😮. Thanks for the education! 😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤

[@user_not_addicted]

Who remembers an Episode on Two and a half men . When Jake came back from the Army and cooked food for like 2000 people 😂

[@kim-9707]

I was just at the Naval Academy, they have ice-cream machines running 24/7 in King's Hall

[@tommyrq180]

I went to the Air Force Academy and spent a semester at USNA as an exchange cadet. The only part of USNA food that was better than USAFA was the ice cream. Everything else was worse. Because…Navy.

[@rezahasani1617]

I had some suggestions so that people can eat better. Some people cannot chew very well. A few blenders let people soften their food and eat it quickly, or for example, put an apple in a blender and make a delicious juice with some ice cubes and eat it quickly. It is important to give healthy food to people, anyone likes to pour anything they want into a blender and eat it. The next idea is for people to eat so that no one sees them. I think eating alone is very enjoyable. And other personal habits of people do not cause discomfort to others, such as the sound of the mouth or spilling food from the mouth. Maybe they say there is not enough space. You can put wooden plates on the table so that people can eat comfortably.

[@willythemailboy2]

People who cannot chew well would not be accepted into the military in the first place, so that's irrelevant. Training people out of bad habits and anti-social preferences is part of the purpose of the way meals are handled. It's a military academy; if someone cannot fit in to the standards they're probably going to be removed from the service rather than accommodated.

[@rezahasani1617]

@@willythemailboy2 Thank . It is important for healthy people to take care of their teeth. When you put less pressure on your teeth, you have healthier teeth. The difference between a healthy and a damaged tooth is a piece of stone in the food. The tooth is full of nerves and blood vessels and is considered a living organ. It is important to be in the army from all spectrums. Someone who has suffered. Someone who has a disease. He finds other great powers. Blind people have very strong hearing and touch. Deaf people have a lot of endurance. These make the army stronger. The army has no duty to socialize people. The army must breed dragons.

[@PhilosopherKing73]

I still remember one of my Army march cadences…”G.I. Beans and G.I. gravy, gee I wish I’d joined the Navy”….

[@holton345]

Mid-Rats = MID-WATCH RATIONS. These are food items available halfway through every watch. They can be anything from a full meal to simple cold cuts and bread on platters sitting out for you to make your own sandwiches. Not "midnight". You're welcome.

[@nealparry]

I’m an undercover Rice Inspector at a top-secret base in the US. I’m not allowed to say that, but I will for attention. I can confirm that food is served and eaten. It’s mental isn’t it?

[@MisterPickle.]

Its called a Chow hall. FYI

[@sr_meeseeks6205]

I just saw Full Metal Jacket last day, and there are so many vibes on this video. I really think it is counterproductive not to let them rest even when they eat.

[@jorgeelchido3985]

I agree Fuck officer procedures

[@maemilev]

In Malaysia, our air force is falling and fainting before lunch. They can't even march for 10 minutes.

[@sr7312]

The Marine Corps has the best food, if you can get to a Mess hall. That's the one nice thing they get.