Future Trends in Combat Ration Development: An Application of the Delphi Technique
Abstract
One of the tasks in Systems Analysis of Combat Food Service Requirements in Army 21 was to develop several feeding concepts for future military missions. To facilitate the acceptance of these concepts, recent trends in combat ration development were identified. The method selected to identify these trends was the Delphi technique. This report documents the results of three surveys, which collectively form the Delphic poll. Based on the aggregate survey results, the following recommendations are made: customer acceptance should be integral in all new ration development programs; ration characteristics should be prioritized according to the intended user of the ration, intensity of action, duration, and resupply; rations should become mission specific with nutritional levels optimized to anticipated levels of physical activity within logistic constraints; and allocation of research and development effort should be balanced between new ration development (36%), improving existing rations (33%) and basic food research (31%). Keywords: Military rations, Food processing, Food preparation, Cost analysis, Nutrition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA195088
Entities
People
- Stephen A. Rei
Organizations
- United States Army Soldier Systems Center