Grob in the present Army

Visited the Royal Signals Association Reunion weekend in June this year and found the food down at Blandford Camp rather dismal. Mostly cold and uninviting. Also witnessed the soldiers having to pay for their own meals. Not a lot of money but foreign to my way of thinking. Even although service pay is father higher than my day, we did at least have three meals a day FREE. So that no one could say they had run out of money mid week which is possible today. Then they go hungry. What sort of Army is this.
Also noticed the complete catering system is a civilian agency. Where are the ACC.!
The camp was not very tidy - verges and long grass everywhere. Again, I suppose tendered by civilian agencies. Lastly, the NAAFI shop has been replaced by a civilian outfit called Londis.
Bah!!!! All this chokes me off. How do you fellas feel ?
Jimsigs

Further to my speal on the shop which replaced NAAFI as Londis. It may be 'Spar', anyway a civvy store muscling in on NAAFI.
Jimsigs

Things started to change in the 70's with the introduction of better wages, and the charging for 'Food & accommodation'

Soldiers started moaning about having to pay the subsidised '3 meals a day' and 'Pay As You Dine' (PAYD) was introduced with as you say reduced standards that go with reduced usage!

NAAFI & SPAR started a partnership in 1998 re-branding Stores as NAAFI/SPA, but by 2003 SPAR had the franchise for the UK, and NAAFI continued in Germany only.

Thanks for that Mike. That clears that one.
Jimsigs1

We had when I pensioned off, a monthly charge for quarters and rations for those living on base in barracks. Just like home, if you don't show up for a meal, it's binned or into left overs the next day.

Hi Hardrations,

Well I'm not surprised but the wastage of food must be even greater now that the quality has gone. I remember the food we had when I was a boy soldier 65 years ago was far superior to that which is dished up today and was at least edible, and I wonder what the MOD are paying these civilian agencies. Perhaps we should look closer to the MOD's agency contracts and procurement departments. I wonder if theses agencies ever supplied samples of their food, and if they did I bet thero is a big difference between the sampled food and that which they are dishing up now. The food was just as bad at Blandford a year ago on that visit. You should see the amount of food being left then thrown away.!!!

I would imagine seeing it's a civilian contractor doing the cooking, that for every dollar (G.B.P.) charged to the army that only 50 to 65 cents of product is delivered. As you say, any sample shown to the forces would be of good value, but never seen on the plate of serving soldier. I can well remember eating food cooked by WW 2 cooks, yuck. But over the years the improvement in training for cooks and rations was out standing. I well remember having a former army Padre from WW 2 at a presentation meal at the Cooking School in CFB Borden and he could not believe that it was standard fare (the wine didn't count). My feeling is that if you pay for it, you should receive the highest standard possible.