New delivery system caused some guard members to miss meals

According to a memo received by Rep. Mary Fallin's office from the commander at Camp Bucca, in southern Iraq, the commander has begun a meal delivery system using insulated containers rather than the Styrofoam ones that were being used.

Though a dining hall at the camp is open around the clock, there had also been food delivery service to troops who were working their shifts.

The commander's memo, sent to the troops at the camp, says the food service at the camp had been "loading 2,500 styrofoam containers at every meal with food that was often cold when it arrived, and did not meet any established standard of sanitation ... The food was exposed to dirt, heat and flies during transportation, and much of it was simply thrown out.''

The commander acknowledged that the new delivery system had some start-up problems and said he would go back to the Styrofoam containers for a week until people got used to the new system. He also said MREs (meals ready to eat) would be released to any troops who needed one to tide them over between meals; and he said troops could load up a box of food during a meal if they didn't think they could make it through their shift.