King Hall Food Shortages

NAAA does pay for teams who get extra rations. They also pay for pre-game meals. A 7 pm game at home means you are eating around 3-4. Then again around 9:30 or 10 pm when the game is over. So NAAA also funds pizza or whatever the coaches order. Road trips are totally different.
 
Dr. Strange Love said:
There will always be enough food .... and some of the anomalies could be vendor issues.
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Not true. I can assure you that there have been companies/areas within the brigade where there was just a flat out lack of food. About 10 to 11 yrs ago, King Hall was under renovation and partially closed with the galleys opening and closing as the work went on. Temporary dining area was set up in Dahlgren Hall and over the course of a couple of years, I ate in both King and Dahlgren and saw wide disparities in food availability. Whatever was brought to the prep area was evenly distributed for the tables assigned to THAT prep area but the amounts varied between areas. I've personally seen a table served 2 dozen chicken nuggets as a main course. That's right, an active college student being given 2 chicken nuggets as their main course. Either earlier in this thread or in another over the past couple of days, a mid reported their table getting LESS than one burger per person for a meal, I think it was 8 burgers for the 12 people at the table.

That is flat out unsatisfactory. I get the difficulty in predicting how many will show up and eat and understand that it is not easy but excuses don't cut it for me or for the brigade. Its pretty easy to suggest ordering out (which was not an option back in the day) but the Commandant and Supe should be kicking ass on any staffer that suggests this for a mid who does not get an adequate ration. When I saw this happen on my ship during my duty weekend as CDO, I had the Food Services Officer and Supply Officer (who outranked me) called in when their people gave excuses and did not fix the problem.
 
Okay, I was going to stay out of this, but feel I must throw in my two cents. My DS tells me that their Company had twelve (12) tables assigned to them in King Hall, and now have eight (8) tables assigned to them. That's how they save on food. Each table still gets that set amount of food, but there aren't enough seats for everyone, and they "save" four (4) tables worth of family-style served food. The Midshipmen just get screwed out of those portions, or they end up getting salad or PB&J and/or whatever else they can grab, that isn't included in the family-style table allotment. If the place is full, they also have nowhere to sit.
 
ders_dad said:
With regard to meals, he tells me it's basically Carry On for Plebes at every table for all meals. No permission required. According to him, the feeling among most upperclassmen is that imposing eating rules for Plebes (front three inches etc.) after Plebe Summer is not a great leadership example. Don't know if this is new or not.
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This is more or less what I observed eating lunch with the Brigade last year. It really isn't about "imposing eating rules" as much as learning the common courtesy of eating in a Wardroom, ie. a little decorum, serving guests and senior members first. What I witnessed (and the other BGO's with me commented as well) was that it was more of a free for all, with everyone grabbing, riggign their burgers, etc,, even before seating. Noon meal was really a training period, including reciting rates and discussing professional knowledge. I don't think that goes on now.

THParent said:
My DS tells me that their Company had twelve (12) tables assigned to them in King Hall, and now have eight (8) tables assigned to them./QUOTE]
What THP is describing sounds like is further breakdown of eating as a squad, and difficulty in managing/forecasting how many would attend a particular meal (which contributes to budget problems). In the day, there was one squad , or approximately 10-12 midshipman, to an assigned table. if there were too many Midshipmen in the squad, or a guest, someone (usually a 3rd Class) would roam and find an empty seat. I can't imagine having a full 1/3 of the Company roaming --that would be a mess.
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@OldRetSWO, I see your point.

@THParent ... when did your son note this change taking place — from 12 to 8 tables for the whole company. There should never be a lack of whole food. This is not an acceptable food management strategy. Leftovers are repurposed until it reaches the expiration limit.

I don’t see this as a vendor problem .... food servicing is their business. They better know how do it. This sounds like some meddling from above .... Is this a “You contracted the vendor to do a job, so stay out of their business” issue?
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I hope this is just temporary — a steering strategy, for whatever reason.
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THParent said:
Okay, I was going to stay out of this, but feel I must throw in my two cents. My DS tells me that their Company had twelve (12) tables assigned to them in King Hall, and now have eight (8) tables assigned to them. That's how they save on food. Each table still gets that set amount of food, but there aren't enough seats for everyone, and they "save" four (4) tables worth of family-style served food. The Midshipmen just get screwed out of those portions, or they end up getting salad or PB&J and/or whatever else they can grab, that isn't included in the family-style table allotment. If the place is full, they also have nowhere to sit.
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I guess it goes without saying that they are not getting an adequate amount of bacon. But then, who is?
 
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NJROTC-CC said:
I guess it goes without saying that they are not getting an adequate amount of bacon. But then, who is?
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Hahahaha absolutely laughed inappropriately out loud at this hahahaha

I see what you did there 🥓
 
justdoit19 said:
Hahahaha absolutely laughed inappropriately out loud at this hahahaha

I see what you did there 🥓
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Hardly working from home today ..... I just happen to eat some Costco/Kirkland precooked bacon with 2 eggs and toast. I buy the precooked stuff .... I don’t like the mess.

I eat breakfast for dinner a lot.
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I had breakfast for lunch today. Two eggs over medium with crumbled bacon wrapped up in a low-carb whole wheat tortilla, with onions, cherry tomatoes, and Louisiana hot sauce. Chased with black coffee.
 
DD has never been crazy about USNA food,(says it's like prepared Costco food for every meal), but she's OK with it, and she should be. Food is fuel to support her body while working, learning, playing. I seriously doubt that the institution that has taken great care to deliver such an awesome educational exp will allow DD to go without adequate calories for any length of time (she/they ain't gonna starve). Short of that starvation, if she has to grab a P&J or misses a meal: 1) big deal, it doesn't have to taste great every time; 2) learning that your body doesn't need three squares a day---just another USNA lesson.

I am not an advocate for starving kids, but in my life, an ambivalent relationship with food has served me very well. learning to eat what you actually need, and when you actually need it vs having to clean your plate 3 times a day is a very good thing IMHO.

"The philosophy of fasting calls upon us to know ourselves, to master ourselves, and to discipline ourselves the better to free ourselves. To fast is to identify our dependencies, and free ourselves from them." ~ Tariq Ramadan -----------(BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE PLEBE SUMMER TO ME)

Won't a fair number of USNA grads be expected to survive on MREs at some point in their careers?

Note#1: Excuse the advocacy. I have a daughter who struggled with significant weight issues most of her life. She recently discovered "intermittent fasting". All those failed diets and the guilt. Food and appetite= the "enemies" in a war she waged on herself. Then she just decided to try missing a few meals. 45lbs later, food is her friend again. She eats the food she likes, she's just learned that she doesn't need as much of it as she thought, as often as she thought. If the USNA meal plan gets that lesson across w/o endangering anybody's health; Woo-who! I'm in.

Note#2: I am working from home today too---Orgain Chocolate (great stuff) for Brekkie, and later whatever highly caloric, Krazy-A$$, experimental, nuevo-cuisine dinner my recently retired DW destroys the kitchen making---------------------------- I am thinking about getting another dog to occupy her time (better ideas?)
 
Just Dad said:
DD has never been crazy about USNA food,(says it's like prepared Costco food for every meal), but she's OK with it, and she should be. Food is fuel to support her body while working, learning, playing. I seriously doubt that the institution that has taken great care to deliver such an awesome educational exp will allow DD to go without adequate calories for any length of time (she/they ain't gonna starve). Short of that starvation, if she has to grab a P&J or misses a meal: 1) big deal, it doesn't have to taste great every time; 2) learning that your body doesn't need three squares a day---just another USNA lesson.

I am not an advocate for starving kids, but in my life, an ambivalent relationship with food has served me very well. learning to eat what you actually need, and when you actually need it vs having to clean your plate 3 times a day is a very good thing IMHO.

"The philosophy of fasting calls upon us to know ourselves, to master ourselves, and to discipline ourselves the better to free ourselves. To fast is to identify our dependencies, and free ourselves from them." ~ Tariq Ramadan -----------(BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE PLEBE SUMMER TO ME)

Won't a fair number of USNA grads be expected to survive on MREs at some point in their careers?

Note#1: Excuse the advocacy. I have a daughter who struggled with significant weight issues most of her life. She recently discovered "intermittent fasting". All those failed diets and the guilt. Food and appetite= the "enemies" in a war she waged on herself. Then she just decided to try missing a few meals. 45lbs later, food is her friend again. She eats the food she likes, she's just learned that she doesn't need as much of it as she thought, as often as she thought. If the USNA meal plan gets that lesson across w/o endangering anybody's health; Woo-who! I'm in.

Note#2: I am working from home today too---Orgain Chocolate (great stuff) for Brekkie, and later whatever highly caloric, Krazy-A$$, experimental, nuevo-cuisine dinner my recently retired DW destroys the kitchen making---------------------------- I am thinking about getting another dog to occupy her time (better ideas?)
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I discovered intermittent fasting about 2 years ago and shed about 30 pounds and, more importantly, now have normal blood pressure. But y'all are making me super hungry with these breakfast for lunch posts. Need to grab my La Croix.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
This is more or less what I observed eating lunch with the Brigade last year. It really isn't about "imposing eating rules" as much as learning the common courtesy of eating in a Wardroom, ie. a little decorum, serving guests and senior members first. What I witnessed (and the other BGO's with me commented as well) was that it was more of a free for all, with everyone grabbing, riggign their burgers, etc,, even before seating. Noon meal was really a training period, including reciting rates and discussing professional knowledge. I don't think that goes on now.
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It definitely is an absolute mess—lots of confusion at the start of every meal with roaming mids trying to find a spot. And even though rates aren’t a part of lunch anymore, the roaming really diminishes the ability of the squad to bond and communicate.
 
brewmeist said:
He laughed and told me that I spend too much time on social media.
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This! No one is starving. Students will always complain about dining-hallfood. None of this will stop Mids from wasting enormous amounts of food during the seemingly obligatory food fights of Army Week or the Dark Ages.

Social media and helicopter or lawn-mower parents (pick your metaphor) can be a touchy mix.
 
Just Dad said:
DD's NCAA team did not have a "team table".
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Excellent question @Old Navy BGO . Mediocre high school wrestling teams wouldn't touch frozen taquitos. They live on massive amounts of pedialyte and egg whites. Definitely no processed food. I'd be surprised to hear their wrestlers live on that stuff during season. Frozen taquitos, really?
 
MidCakePa said:
This! No one is starving. Students will always complain about dining-hallfood. None of this will stop Mids from wasting enormous amounts of food during the seemingly obligatory food fights of Army Week or the Dark Ages.

Social media and helicopter or lawn-mower parents (pick your metaphor) can be a touchy mix.
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LOL This is pretty good.

My son appears to be a heavy coffee drinker now ... he never touched the stuff until her got there. Needs a ton of sugar and cream because he said the coffee sucks.

He laughed at the food issue. He is the same weight as when he entered. Just a lot stronger.
 
The comments that somehow say its okay because they are in the military and have to adapt seem kind of crazy to me. The academy besides the academics and training them to be officers has two or three primary duties and one of them is to feed them properly. Not saying they should have New York Steak, but I think they should be able to afford hamburgers for everyone who wants one. When my older son went to Purdue, the school had dining halls which was there for the students (assuming you bought the meal plan) However, the school has 3-4 normal restaurants inside the school that you paid for the meal. If you were sick of the dining hall, didnt like what they had to offer or they had no more, there was always something to buy. Not saying the academies should allow KFC to build restaurants inside the campus, but beside delivery, they should have something the students can buy if they cant provide enough food. If this is a money issue, then allow the students to fix this issue with there own money. It still seems wrong that the academy dont have the money to feed their people, but at least its a work around The problem with this discussion is that some people are complaing and some are saying there is no problem.
 
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