[quote=Catt]
I have consumed more than my fair share of MREs and they're much better than most food that comes off a MKT. I learned that one the hard way during AT at Knox last July. But I do have to admit, that was pretty smart thinking using thermal sights to find an ember.. I'll have to put that in my back pocket for future reference.
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Our mobile mess-kit was the old 1970's era BSA-issue Aluminum one and a single-burner propane stove. Add to that an old E-tool, a galvanized steel bucket, and a pair of leather gloves
-An MKT-90 isn't really needed for operations of less than a week with a force below the strength of 30 personel

Otherwise, keep the lights out or put the fire in the shade and blow.
-Ten years of experiance banking and re-lighting 'out' fires without matches tends to make it simply a matter of putting a pair of warm logs together next to a pair of charred logs that will readily burn, and then inserting a scrap of tinder (paper/dried MRE-cardboard) to get it to re-light. then it's just a matter of re-stacking the firelay.
-Use of thermals is more important when banking and concealing the fire in such a way that it looks like it wasn't there. (not that we'll be up against such a foe anytime soon, but still...)