Nearly 100,000 pounds of turkeys, along with beef, shrimp, pies, eggnog and more have been deployed to the Middle East so that troops there can enjoy their traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Most of the Thanksgiving meal orders have been delivered, but some will be delivered this week, said Shawn J. Jones, spokesman for Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support.

Individual units placed their orders in the spring so DLA officials could properly plan to get the holiday meals there on time.

Here’s a sampling from DLA Troop Support of some of what’s been sent to feed about 39,000 people, including troops and Defense Department civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan:

  • 98,820 pounds of turkey.
  • 47,880 pounds of beef.
  • 31,650 pounds of ham.
  • 30,384 pounds of shrimp.
  • 918 gallons of eggnog.
  • 6,288 pies.
  • 9,378 cakes (including 382 cheesecakes).

Sides dishes such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberries and green beans are part of regular menus served to the troops in these areas, so they aren’t included on the holiday tracker. But the troops will get their servings of sides, too.

Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.

Share:
In Other News
Load More