National Guardsmen stationed in D.C.
The Michigan National Guard said Monday (March 1) that reports that meals for troops stationed in Washington include uncooked Food and crude food are “very concerning. According to members of the state’s troops, some have fallen ill after eating working meals provided in Washington.
In a statement to news media, the Guard said, “First-hand accounts and photographs of uncooked food clearly indicate that the meals provided to Michigan service members are unacceptable.”
Photos released this week by ABC-owned Detroit radio station WXYZ show undercooked meat and metal shavings in the food served to the Washington National Guardsmen. The broadcaster said the pictures were provided by whistleblowers and that the pictures in question were of meals given to troops.
The whistleblowers said they threw away nearly 75 meals Sunday (Feb. 28) after discovering the problem and that some troopers fell ill after eating the undercooked food.
One of the pictures released by the National Guardsmen stationed in Washington
On the issue, Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen-Whitmer spoke with Acting Army Secretary John-Whitley, Michigan’s deputy chief of staff, and National Guard Commandant Dan-Hokanson.
“The health and well-being of Michigan National Guard service members is paramount to their success as they continue to serve in missions across the United States and around the globe. Michigan National Guard senior leaders will continue to personally address this issue and will continue to hold accountable and provide solutions for the poorly prepared meals served,” the statement said.
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters wrote to Wheatley and Hokanson on Monday that service members in Washington are being forced to buy enough food at their own expense because of the poor quality of food from private caterers.
“While I understand the unique nature of these deployments and appreciate the tremendous efforts of the many deployed personnel under your leadership, it is simply unacceptable that feathers and raw ground beef remain attached to these people’s meals,” he said.
“After several attempts to correct the situation, I believe the only appropriate course of action is to immediately cancel the current food contract, pay per diem for the remainder of the mission, and provide the stipend retroactively.”
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, wrote in a Tuesday tweet, “I am working on this issue.”
The National Guard and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to inquiries.
More than 5,000 National Guard members from various states remain in Washington following the Jan. 6 incident at the U.S. Capitol. Michigan has 983 members in Washington. Troops are supporting the Secret Service and U.S. Capitol Police security efforts in Washington, D.C.
According to the Michigan National Guard, the current Michigan unit “is scheduled to return to Michigan shortly after March 12 (the agreed-upon end date of the deployment).”
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