Ken - my biggest gripe with the chow halls is that the food we were given was beyond the pale in comparison with what the locals ate. They probably had no idea what we were eating - and the seafood was off limits to most of the Afghans anyway- but there was a serious disconnect in my reality box when I was sitting in a mess hall in Afghanistan getting better food than what I would get at home.

Understand the spartan way is not for all and that the meals were intended to boost morale. Just seems like a case of cognitive dissonance to me.