ON BOARD THE USS BOXER IN THE ARABIAN SEA, 30 March 2003 — To most people, the USS Boxer is an “LHD,” or a Landing Helicopter Deck. But to Navy Commander Samuel Walker, the ship’s supply officer, this is a “large hotel and diner.”

The military marches on its stomach, he says. “This is not the most important part of the war, but it is the most crucial,” said Walker.

“As a bigger ship we move a lot of task force cargo. Cargo and mail are moved from the beach to us and then onto the smaller ships out here,” he said. “And their outgoing cargo comes through here.”

The ship maintains a fourteen-day supply inside fourteen huge chilled storerooms. Food is delivered from a supply ship that brings the crates over on conveyer belts, or by helicopter deliveries. “The ship gets 175 pallets of food and cargo replenishment every two weeks.” No easy task for one responsible for feeding several thousand sailors and Marines three hot meals a day.

There are also 24 storerooms, for general use parts. “We have thousands of parts in storage for helicopters and ships.

“Each ship has its own supply office and we look at our force as one big inventory. We share parts throughout the task force,” said Walker.

But the war has not caused many changes in the Navy’s life on board. “We’re helping Marines get what they need in order to go ashore. This includes everything from airplane parts to habitability items to improve their personal living conditions ashore.”

Walker acknowledges that the Navy spends a lot of money on feeding their sailors.

“To get people to come out here on a ship to live, the quality of life is important, and food plays a big role. It’s important to set up a good logistics pipeline to serve the best meals we can.”

Walker says his sailors must remain flexible. Today, for example, they’re learning how to make catsup from scratch, as recent bad weather ashore has delayed the delivery of supplies.

To ensure quality, Walker said the Navy cooks have all attended culinary school. “Most of the food we get is good, but the issue is the person who cooks it,” he said.

Fresh bread, Walker says, is a very successful item on board. “Freshly baked bread is a very popular item, and of course, you can store more flour than you can bread. We bake our own pastries, bread, rolls and cakes; it cuts down on the cargo and is much more efficient.”

Asked what is the most important factor on the menu, Walker said: “The driving commodity is fresh fruits and vegetables, and they don’t last for more than two weeks.”

The most popular meal on board, Walker says, is steak and crab legs, served twice a month; and ice cream socials, held monthly.