Guam is one of the Navy locations where groceries and basic food supplies are generally imported. This means the costs of perishables are extremely high compared to their counterparts.
Earlier this month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that US inflation reached a 40-year peak. Energy prices are also rising because of the after-effects of the Ukraine-Russia war. Costs for local and imported meat have also increased with other food staples.
Gaining Traction in the Military
Many military branches have also raised concerns about the availability of vegan food on bases. According to a specialist in the US army who went vegan in 2018, it was extremely challenging for him to perform at high levels while not having access to the type of food his body needed.
“I’m living in a world of violence by being in the military but trying to live the most peaceful lifestyle that I can. Choosing not to be violent in my everyday life when I don’t have to be is something I wholeheartedly say falls in line with my religious beliefs and military values.”
Military bases usually have kosher, halal, and vegetarian meals, but vegan foods are still hard to come back. Most vegan soldiers would depend on snacks like bread, peanut butter, and canned vegetables to survive.
“It was just a miserable time,” he says. “We were in the field and had one meal a day. I went four days straight eating exclusively green beans.” He was fatigued, an obvious problem for soldiers in combat. “You want soldiers to be at their most capable and their most mentally and physically prepared for any action,” he says.
Though there is a lot of hesitation around the vegan diet in the military, many welcome the idea and are looking for available options.
Make meat alternatives available for those in the military who are vegan. But I suppose you’d rather force them to eat what you think they should be eating. Will you also force them to cheat on their spouse because you did?
— David Nelson (@davidnelsonORL) July 12, 2022
Chief Petty Officer Thomas Searin, a US Coast Guard mechanic in Miami, says he was hesitant to explore veganism at first because he’s seen it as a type of character jab. In addition, meat is equated to masculinity, so accepting a vegan diet dispels many of these norms.
A new survey shows most US military personnel want ready-to-eat vegan meals. 81% believe the military should provide more plant-based options.#vegan #vegetarian #us #military #veganusa #veganworld #plantbasedhttps://t.co/rd15Yhiqpn
— Vegan FTA (@teamveganfta) July 15, 2022
It was only when he met Master Chief Petty Officer Eric Gibson, vegan for more than five years, that he changed his mind. After that, he was able to adapt to the diet, but he acknowledges that his rank played a part in the transition. For him, tastier vegan options are more available, but for lower-ranking soldiers, canned vegetables could be the best they could hope for.
It was reported that the military already has their pre-packed vegan meals, but they’re not available for soldiers yet. The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) notes that these are usually distributed to humanitarian causes and civilians.
“…these meals contain no animal products or by-products, except that minimal amounts of dairy products are permitted.”
Aside from those already looking for vegan meals, how will the rest of the Navy or the military adjust if this is implemented on all bases?
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