How do military MRE's get into the civilian aftermarket?

[SmileDocHill]

I brought an MRE to an event with a bunch of other guys this weekend and several people asked how they can become for sale to civilians when it says on the bag "US government property commercial resale is unlawful".
I never served so I really have no idea how the process of being issued gear and MRE's and / or returning them works. Someone at the event said he heard MRE's cannot be turned back in? I don't know what that means but sounds like a possible answer to how they become available.(?)

Are there situations that result in cases of these lawfully exiting military possession?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I was on a mine clearing tank with a crew of 2. We got the same box of mres a tank of 5 got. You can't give them back, so there is small scale.

Large scale is rotating stocks and contract overruns.

 

[1775usmarine]

You have people like me who tactically acquire them while in and some who then resell on open market FTF.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I got a bunch some years ago from someone close to me who was an Army officer, who was issued MRE's while in the field, but who usually had more palatable meal options available. My kids loved them.

 

[Slawburger]

I use them for treks with the Scouts.
I just assumed that they sold older ones and replaced them with newer ones or the manufacturer had overruns that were made available.

 

[chezuki]

I've never purchased them. Have had a few cases given to me by a buddy in the Army, and I've given some of those on to others. Figured giving isn't selling.

 

[pudly]

OMG! Military-grade food! In civilian hands! Who do we report this to?

 

[calcot7]

Aren't they supposed to turn the average person into a crazed killing machine? That's why they are illegal for sale to the general public......right?

 

[chezuki]

OMG! Military-grade food! In civilian hands! Who do we report this to?

I'm a fan of the milspec nacho cheese.

 

[87iroc]

I'm a fan of the milspec nacho cheese.

I hear it works good for plugging up cracks of all kinds.

 

[1911ly]

I hear it works good for plugging up cracks of all kinds.

Including your butt crack if you eat to much cheese!!

 

[CountryBoy19]

As stated above, many channels. Some "grey market", others completely legal, and yet other completely black market.

Completely legal: contract overruns, turning over stocks etc.
Gray market: guy gets MRE's for field training exercise, hates them so he takes his own, more palatable option, then sells the MRE's on the local to recoup his costs on the more palatable options. Or guys are over-issued MRE's for field activities etc and don't use them all so they sell them.
Black market: MRE's aren't tracked nearly as well as most other military property. It's quite easy for them to be stolen and sold on the local economy.

Unfortunately, it's very difficult to tell the difference between all of these. Buyer be ware that it's possible you're receiving stolen property. That being said, I've never heard of a single case of somebody being prosecuted for receiving stolen MRE's. However, if you come across a guy that has a pallet of them, you may want to ask for proof of ownership. The only way I can see somebody coming by large quantities would be contract overrun etc, and he should be able to provide that proof...

 

[Shadow8088]

My old roommate many years ago would come home from being a weekend warrior with CASES of MREs... (he was the supply sergeant) and we'd be set for camping for the year... it was pretty awesome...