Combat Feeding and RFID: Food for Thought

Mr. Gerald A. Darsch is the Director of the Department of Defense Combat Feeding Directorate (CFD) at the US Army Natick Soldier Center, in Natick, Massachusetts. Mr. Darsch holds a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Food and Science and Nutrition, and has over 30 years experience in military food science & technology and military food service systems. Mr. Darsch lead DoD's first passive RFID Technology Demonstration and was cited as the "definitive proof of principle to dramatically enhance DoD's capability for end to end logistics". His accomplishments have been recognized by numerous awards to include the Superior Civilian Service and Meritorious Civilian Service Awards and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Award for Excellence for leadership in RFID. He was appointed as a Distinguished Member of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Regiment and inducted into the Distinguished Order of St. Martin and the Research and Development Associate's Hall of Fame. Mr. Darsch has authored over forty publications on combat feeding. He has given countless presentations at professional and military forums and continues to serve as the CFD spokesperson for domestic and international media.

The DoD Combat Feeding Directorate (CFD) executes the DoD Combat Feeding Research and Engineering Program, a joint service program responsible for meeting the unique combat feeding requirements of each military service. This includes all efforts — research, development, integration, testing and engineering for combat rations, field food service equipment and complete combat feeding systems. This is accomplished by multidisciplinary, highly integrated teams develop revolutionary combat feeding technology for our warfighters to include:

 

• Combat Feeding Innovative Science

• Advanced Processes & Packaging

• Performance Enhancement & Food Safety

• Energy & Equipment Technology

• Individual Combat Rations

• Group Rations

• Systems Equipment & Engineering

• Food Engineering Services

 

The CFD includes a partnership between the Natick Soldier Center's Combat Feeding Directorate (CFD) and Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems (PM FSS). The PM effectively manages advanced development (6.4) and full-scale development (6.5) for Army managed food service equipment. The CFD is responsible for management and execution of all science and technology programs, and 6.4/6.5 for Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force field food service equipment as well as combat rations for all four Services.