:: rawblogXport ::

:: Monday, October 18, 2004 ::

Captain America: Superhero of the Military-Industrial Complex by Nick Turse, via Common Dreams
Foodless Fighters? Water-free Warriors?

Typical adults require about 1500-2000 calories per day, but Special Forces' troops may require as many as 6,000-8,000 calories per day while in the field. Taking time to eat, however, cuts into time that could be spent identifying targets or killing people, so DARPA's 'Peak Soldier Performance Program' is investigating ways of 'optimizing metabolic performance' to achieve 'metabolic dominance' and so to allow future soldiers to operate at 'continuous peak physical performance and cognitive function for 3 to 5 days, 24 hours per day, without the need for calories.'

At the same time, the DARPA crew has instituted a 'Water Harvesting Program' which seeks to 'eliminate at least 50 percent of the minimum daily water supply requirement (7qts/day) of the Special Forces, Marine Expeditionary Units, and Army Medium-Weight Brigades' through initiatives such as deriving 'water from air.'

And when it comes to their meals, perhaps someday soldiers will be able forgo water altogether for long periods of time thanks to the efforts of the Combat Feeding Directorate of the US Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. Yes, the lab that created the 'indestructible sandwich' (which boasts a three year shelf life) has now come up with a dried-food ration that troops can hydrate by urinating on it. And you thought military food was piss-poor to begin with!

posted 7:06 AM :: reference link :: 0 comments ::

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