I used to work with a man who emigrated here to Canada to become red seal baker. Before this he was in the Luftwaffe. If I remember correctly, he was whatever the Luftwaffe equivalent is to a Feldwebel in the Bundeswehr.
I had made a comment to him one day about the irony of leaving the military in Germany to work with 25kg boxes of powdered eggs in Canada.
He then told me that when he was serving, he was told to assist the mess staff with moving some boxes of ingredients off a truck to the kitchen storage. He told me he had a good laugh when he noticed many of the boxes were labelled "Food for use by animals or Bundeswehr only" He said he was glad he had joined the Air Force instead of the Army.
I would imagine the appeal to eat rubbish food would be the convenience of easy, fast, portable, high calorie food full of sugar. Providing instant gratification for someone who is tired, cranky, not very hungry but needing fuel.
Though I don't think that's exclusive to veterans, but rather anyone who works alot and eats poorly.
I'm not a vet, but I would imagine out in the field you probably shovel as much food in as you can when you get a chance. Not that different from the diet of a workaholic, aside from Army rations being a bit better for you nutritionally than McDonald's restaurant food.
Was this person you spoke to a vet? If not, they're guessing at the reason behind the dietary logic just as I am.
So far this other forum has had both a "backseat psychologist" and a "backseat mess sergeant" :roflmao: