<p>Looks like the issue of mando meals has been on the table for some time. I question if the editor of this section has ever eaten in King Hall though from the description of the food. A parent called me today and said her mid son is still complaining about not getting enough to eat. </p>
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<p>2004-2005 USNA Catalog: Dining</p>
<p>The entire brigade eats at one time in a 55,000-square-foot dining area or wardroom, King Hall. Companies sit together, and food is served family style for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday, and on Wednesday night dinners. All other meals are served buffet style. The typical daily diet includes such dishes as steak, chicken tenderloin, international cuisine and home-baked pastries. All of the food for the 12,000 meals served daily is prepared by our food service staff in the kitchens adjacent to King Hall.</p>
<p>2005-2006 USNA Catalog: Dining </p>
<h2>The entire brigade eats at one time in a 55,000-square-foot dining area or wardroom, King Hall. Companies sit together, and food is served family style during the week. Other meals are served buffet style. The typical daily diet includes such dishes as steak, chicken tenderloin, international cuisine and home-baked pastries. All of the food for the 12,000 meals served daily is prepared by our food service staff in the kitchens adjacent to King Hall.</h2>
<p>Firstie parents,
How was the food served to you in King Hall this weekend?<br>
Congratulations to the 2008 mids and families!</p>
<p><strong>NOTE</strong> Closing date extended from 14 SEP to 17 SEP.</p>
<p>This position is located in the Midshipman Food Service Division of the U.S. Naval Academy. The mission of the Division is to provide a complete food service program for the men and women of the Brigade of Midshipmen and other authorized groups. Incumbent prepares and cooks a variety of menu items including regular and special diet entrees and dessert items using standard recipes and cooking techniques; evaluates varieties of raw and cooked food items to decide if they are fresh and whether cooked foods are done by their appearance, consistency, texture, and temperature; plans, coordinates, and times work assignments to assure food items are prepared on time and are at the proper temperature; roasts, broils, bakes, fries, boils, steams, and stews meat, fish, and poultry; prepares soups, stocks, gravies, sauces, molded aspics, meat glazes, salad dressings, and puddings, without the use of packaged mixes; prepares a variety of dessert items and specialty sauces; prepares cold food platters such as ham/salmon platters, and salads and hors d'oeuvres appropriate for the occasion; slices meats to conform to specific size requirements or weight specifications; rapidly chills and stores prepared items under refrigeration for long periods of time when cooking large quantities; and carves vegetables and fruits as garnishes for food platters and dishes.</p>
<p>I thought they would roll out the red carpet for Firstie Parent Weekend. Maybe some Chesapeake fare including crab cakes, baby green lettuce salad, rice pilaf, prime rib, tiramisu...</p>
<p>I think my Mid hoped they would too. From the way the Supe was talking at the brief he gave to the USNA Parents Club Presidents, we were lucky there even WAS a FPW...not sure what the future holds for that event.</p>
<p>What was his rationale? More of the "Nation at war," etc.? Personally, I think FPW is such a glorious event for mids and their families to celebrate the successful navigation of plebe summer, plebe year, Sea Trials, Herndon, the next two years of academic and leadership training, summer training in the fleet, sports, ECs, community service, growing up, growing away...such a milestone in these young people's lives. Again, congratulations to all of the firsties and their proud families!</p>
<p>Maybe that was supposed to be "moldy aspics?" Sure hope the glaze doesn't "jiggle." :confused: Here's to chicken fangers au grotten. ;)</p>
<p>Our latest report is good news/bad news ... </p>
<p>1st the Bad news: Chow competes with kitty litter</p>
<p>Good news: There's always 2nds now. :eek:</p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>Still, in it all, our Mid requires some trouser adjustment and out-letting. A left-handed tribute to his mother's cooking, maybe? Must not be starving.</p>
<p>Not sure how many are aware, but try the food on an aircraft carrier sometime. Crab cakes? Tiramisu? Not hardly.</p>
<p>Or even better, try the MREs they eat out in the field. Not going to find any baby green lettuce salads there.</p>
<p>Heard about that Parents Club Presidents brief... sounds like there were some less-than-pleased parents. Hopefully they understood the bigger picture. Yes, the "Nation at War" stuff. Because we ARE, in fact, a Nation at war.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Because we ARE, in fact, a Nation at war.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>please…..by the way have you ever read animal farm? It would appear we have one standard of treatment for the young men and women of our nation preparing for war. As you point out obviously we are at war, and apparently during times of war we have another standard for those keeping safe here at home…</p>
<p>WASHINGTON - It doesn’t rival the Pentagon’s $600 toilet seat, but the Justice Department can fork over a mean $4 meatball.</p>
<p>An internal Justice audit, released Friday, showed the department spent nearly $7 million to plan, host or send employees to ten conferences over the last two years. This included paying $4 per meatball at one lavish dinner and spreading an average of $25 worth of snacks around to each participant at a movie-themed party.</p>
<p>There was plenty, too, for those needing to satisfy a sweet tooth.</p>
<p>More than $13,000 was spent on cookies and brownies for 1,542 people who attended a four-day "Weed and Seed" conference in August 2005, according to the audit by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine. And a "networking" session replete with butterfly shrimp, coconut lobster skewers and Swedish meatballs at a Community Oriented Policing Services conference in July 2006 cost more than $60,000.</p>
<p>I’m also getting tired of the “wait until you get into the fleet and taste that food defense” . Last I looked the USNA was stilled anchored in Annapolis; there isn’t any reason why food service shouldn’t work and work well. The fact that food quality may decline further is hardly something to cheer about. </p>
<p>I also doubt there is a single Mid at the academy that hasn’t walked around Memorial Hall in Bancroft and needs to be reminded we are a nation at war and what that may mean to them. And if we want to focus more attention on the sacrifices and consequences of this war, food service would be last place I’d start. How we treat the young men and women that serve our nation is ultimately a reflection of our nations priorities and values.</p>
<p>navy1974,
Are you suggesting that the supe serve MRE's to the guests attending his garden party during commissioning week? </p>
<p>When I said, "I thought they would roll out the red carpet for Firstie Parent Weekend..." clearly I was referring to a celebratory luncheon for honored guests (firstie parents & family members). So much for tradition.</p>
<p>The nation at war is just an excuse. That's BS. There is no excuse for poor tasting food. What you're telling me is that every college in the US can serve decent tasting food but the service academies can not. If we want Midn to get use to the fleet marine force or service in Iraq then the academy needs to cut out food service and just serve MREs at every meal. You can't advertise food service and meals and not deliver week after the week. </p>
<p>The food on ships was pretty decent, on subs even better. Yes, near the end of a deployment sometimes there aren't a lot of greens or lots of fruit but in Annapolis, there should be plenty. </p>
<p>For a national treasure, this is crap. The only meal I've eaten there in the last two years was really poor. The excuse of a nation at war is BS and no CO would stand for it...at least none that I worked for. </p>
<p>You would think that for an event that you invite guests over for, that you serve your best...it is in the Military etiquette book I received back in '73. It is also biblical; otherwise, don't invite them...and if you did, you do it right. That's common courtesy and respect. </p>
<p>MREs actually would have probably been acceptable and understood by most parents. They would have understood that instead of what they were served. And remember, the parents and guests are charged for the meals.</p>
<p>rjrzoom57 I have to agree with you. I to am tired of hearing "we are a nation at war." I summarize the mission of the service academies to be "to prepare men and women to be leaders in our Armed Services. " That is and always will be the bottom line as I see it. We can always use more eloquent words to describe the mission, but I like to make things simple. We have a history of being a "nation at war", only the enemies have changed. I do not see the country and its leadership making the sacrifices of a "nation at war", so why would its future military leaders buy into the fact that they should be making the sacrifices for the next 1-4 years? If there are changes to be made at USNA, MAKE THEM. But, please do not use a "nation at war" as the justification.</p>
<p>Yesterday, I sent my son to war. He's a Corporal with a rifle Company in the 2nd Division, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines heading to Ramadi in the Al Anbar province in Iraq. Seeing him off at Camp Lejeune was wonderful. I had the chance to meet his friends. I had Privates seek me out to tell me he was "an outstanding senior Marine" and that they were proud and lucky to be in his squad. I can't believe my first born is a "senior Marine," but it is clear that leadership suits him (though I think it surprises him some.) On this glorious late summer/early fall day hundreds of fresh faced young Americans were there: smiling, laughing, hugging, sharing stories, and professing confidence in their readiness to perform. While they certainly know (better than us) the seriousness of the moment and their task at hand, morale was high.</p>
<p>I don't like that the phrase "Nation at War" is becoming a tag line for the new Superintendent or a rationale for mando Friday night study halls. It offends me and diminishes the reality of that statement. </p>
<p>My daughter, a Youngster, certainly knows we are a nation at war--her brother, her hero, and her best friend is about to be on the front lines. She accepted an appointment to the Academy, in part, to continue a family tradition of service to her country. She doesn't need to be reminded to do her duty, she chose to do her duty. She doesn't need to be unduly restricted, she imposed restrictions on herself when she chose to accept an appointment to the Academy. I have not heard one word of complaint from her this year--it's not her way. But, yesterday, only one of my children was happy (I can tell without being told)--the one actually heading out to the battlefield not the one being made to sit in her room in Bancroft long after all her work was done.</p>
<p>So, on an unusually introspective day, here's hoping for my son's training and ability to ensure his (and his mates') safety; for my daughter's intellect, strength, and humor to carry her through her years by the Severn so that she is prepared to join her brother in the Fleet; and for the Academy's senior administration to remember that there is more to good leadership than making rules, and that seriousness of purpose and high spirits are not mutually exclusive. </p>
<p>(Oh, and the food situation is ridiculous. Not fixing it--because all it would take is money and attention--is a total abrogation of responsibility. And, it's fixed when the troops say it's fixed NOT when the administration says it's fixed.)</p>