Nutrient Survival spotlights military food insecurity with Thanksgiving Day drive

14 Nov 2023 --- US-based food-tech company Nutrient Survival, which develops Special Ops Grade nutrition, is on a mission to shed light on the issue of food scarcity among military members, starting with a turkey drive this Thanksgiving, November 23, in support of US Army Pacific Chaplains’ Operation Helping Hand to show appreciation to active duty military personnel for their service.

“By nature of the work, soldiers spend more time exerting physical and mental energy under stressful situations. Even in training, the situations are designed to emulate combat where things are going 24/7. There are no breaks in a war zone,” Eric Christianson, former army ranger and CEO of Nutrient Survival, tells Nutrition Insight.

“There’s also no grocery stores around the corner to grab fresh meat, dairy or produce. These are all the considerations that the military has considered in designing rations and the exacting nutrient-dense standards they have. Soldiers in these situations need more nutrient-dense calories to fuel them to operate at their best.”

Recent data from the Rand Corporation shows that food insecurity is a critical issue for military families, as a first year soldier with E-1 rank receives US$1,917.60 gross a month. 

The holiday season highlights the problems even further. About 30% of military members who live on base report they experience food scarcity, 7% more than those residing off base who are categorized as food insecure. One of the key findings of the analysis is how Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) factored into food insecurity for members living on base. 

Social and career stigmasUS military personnel are often exposed to food scarcity, a problem rarely addressed openly.
BAH can vary greatly (US$903 to US$4332) based on location and dependent status. About 75% of members who live on base receive BAH, and food insecurity was higher among these members (32%) than among those living off base who receive BAH (23%).

Moreover, members living on base and receiving BAH were more likely to be food insecure than those living on base who do not receive BAH (25%).

In total, 26% of Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel are food insecure, with 15.4% being active duty troops. Social and career stigmas often compound food insecurity among military members. 

Christianson explains: “The data is clear that we have a problem because we have so many service members and their families in that situation. It’s not a simple answer. On the supply side, good programs are in place that try to help, like the military commissary system (basically the military’s grocery store chain), local community food pantries and other ways to donate and help like we just did.” 

“There are also educational opportunities to teach those buying the food more about how good nutrition matters and to spend their money on foods that help them, not hurt them like the ultra-processed foods so common today.” 

“Many people — soldiers included — don’t know how to budget either. They need to be smart with their money. And of course, it would be wonderful to see our military get an income competitive to private sector jobs, so they can answer their calling to serve and not worry about feeding their families,” says Christianson.

According to Nutrient Survival, military members are concerned that asking for help with food insecurity or general financial problems will negatively affect their military careers, potentially leading to them losing their security clearance. 

The military culture of self-sufficiency and pride also prevents members from seeking help. Nutrient Survival, which has provided patented nutrient-dense products to military segments, is committed to supporting service members with these challenges.

Meanwhile, a retrospective cohort study of US veterans has found that higher doses of vitamin D supplementation reduced suicide attempts and intentional self-harm by up to 48%. Published in Plos One, the research identified the decreased risk as most significant in Black veterans with low blood serum levels.

Elite nutritionNutrient Survival has brought attention to food insecurity in special ops circles to help remedy the challenges faced by personnel.
Nutrient Survival is an end-to-end food technology pioneer offering nutrient-dense survival food that meets the nutritional requirements of the US military’s elite Special Ops units. The company has emergency food, everyday performance and brain care lines and claims to deliver six times more nutrition than other survival food brands.

“As a veteran-owned and operated company, we know what it means to serve. That’s why we love those who selflessly serve – military, law enforcement, and first responders and are committed to helping them as much as we can, however we can. This year’s donation for turkeys came at a time of need and we intend to be there again in the future,” says Christianson.

“No US holiday means family more than Thanksgiving. The fact is that when you raise your hand to serve in the armed forces, you give up certain things that the rest of us take for granted. For many of our 170,000 service members serving on deployments or abroad, often that means giving up family.” 

Christianson notes it also means that for many who are stateside, they are also without their loved ones serving in faraway places. “Also, even if you’re not deployed abroad, you’re usually stationed somewhere distant from where you grew up and can’t get back home.” 

“I was one of those guys. When stationed in Panama or Alaska, you’re just not heading home for a three-day weekend. Beyond that, just too many of our service members are struggling to make ends meet. This is a way we can step in to help bring a little normalcy to their lives and their families, as they deserve.”

By Inga de Jong