Here’s the ridiculous true story behind a ‘Rock Or Something’

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Here’s the ridiculous true story behind a ‘Rock Or Something’

Task and Purpose
James Clark
Jul 15, 2021



If you’ve served in the military in the last quarter century, then you’ve probably eaten an MRE, and unless you really enjoyed choking down cold congealed pasta and some vaguely meat-like product, then you used a flameless ration heater.

And that means you’re familiar with this gem of a phrase: “rock or something.”

The instructions for how to properly use an MRE heater advises the user to lean the heater “against a rock, or something.” Your Kevlar, your boots, another MRE bag, a Rip-It. Anything really.

The vague nature of the instructions has led the phrase to reappear in news feeds, sarcastically quipped in conversation, and even as the subject of satirical posts. But, where did “rock or something” come from?

“The term ‘rock or something’ has now reached cult status,” said Lauren Oleksyk, a team leader of the food processing, engineering and technology team at Combat Feeding Directorate, according to an Army news release on the ration heater.

Oleksyk and teammates Bob Trottier and Don Pickard coined the phrase in 1993.

The ration heater does exactly what its name implies. With just an ounce-and-a-half of water, the magnesium-iron alloy and sodium in the heater will raise the temperature of an MRE’s eight-ounce main meal by 100 degrees in just 10 minutes.

(more)
https://taskandpurpose.com/culture/mre-heater-rock-something-true-story/

[Sighlass]

I am probable one of the few guys here on TBR that has never once had an MRE meal... I would of imagined the heating part was about the same as those "hot hands" packets that hunters use in Winter... but seems adding water means it was "something" (pun intended) else...

I have heard good and mostly bad from those that have had MREs.... but survival is survival (beggars can't be choosers). I just keeps extra cans of soup and stuff instead of MREs... and a twig cooker.

[Smokin Joe]

I am probable one of the few guys here on TBR that has never once had an MRE meal... I would of imagined the heating part was about the same as those "hot hands" packets that hunters use in Winter... but seems adding water means it was "something" (pun intended) else...

I have heard good and mostly bad from those that have had MREs.... but survival is survival (beggars can't be choosers). I just keeps extra cans of soup and stuff instead of MREs... and a twig cooker.

I have had MREs, but it has been over 20 years. I never used the heater, just stuck the pouch in the water heating to make coffee...