Night Night Bars

[Mustard]

Hi Calguns. I just got back from basic training. While at basic, they would frequently give us what were colloquially known as "night night bars" (because they gave them out at final formation). These were basically calcium (96% DV) & vitamin D (396% DV) bars with chocolate flavoring and rice crisps inside, meant to help recruits not break themselves during training. The actual wrapper said "Performance Readiness Bar".

Is anyone familiar with a source for these nutrition bars, or a comparable substitute, out in the civilian world? Yeah, I could take other vitamin supplements, but I'm itching for a night night bar....

[seal20]

Yes a banana

[tnlrat37]

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

[freonr22]

https://www.gummyvites.com/en/vitafu...ion-multivites or another offering from them..

[jarhead714]

Originally Posted by tnlrat37

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

**** Devil, we recon’d treats sent from home out of the dumpster at night on more than one occasion...

[Kyle1886]

Originally Posted by tnlrat37

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

Geeez, you were lucky, all I got was the STFU and no cup but that was in 1959 to 63. ...and the M1 slap at shouldered arms.

And yes I'd do it again if need be.

Sorry OP for the thread jack, but my wife eats some kind protein bars by Natures Valley, might check it out, may or may not be what you seek.

Respectfully
Kyle

[The War Wagon]

Made from those who washed out.

[jarhead714]

It was at great risk, and it is with great shame that I admit this as I was a squad leader and as such it was setting a poor example, but I once smuggled saltine crackers and some jelly packets from the chow hall, hid them in my pillowcase, and then consumed them on the ****ter at midnight while my rack mate was on fire watch. That was how you did a “Night Night” bar at MCRD Hollywood, California there, Doggie.

Congratulations on completing recruit training. Give him one!

[M60A1Rise]

Originally Posted by tnlrat37

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

Wow all we ever got was Fire Watch and bends & thrusts.

[M60A1Rise]

Originally Posted by jarhead714

It was at great risk, and it is with great shame that I admit this as I was a squad leader and as such it was setting a poor example, but I once smuggled saltine crackers and some jelly packets from the chow hall, hid them in my pillowcase, and then consumed them on the ****ter at midnight while my rack mate was on fire watch. That was how you did a “Night Night” bar at MCRD Hollywood, California there, Doggie.

Congratulations on completing recruit training. Give him one!

Haha I once caught a fat body hiding food in his foot locker from chow while on fire watch , I had smokes for the rest of boot camp lmao !

[Subotai]

All we got was beat up in the head by the DI's. Not me though, he had his favorite.

[Snoopy47]

Kids hid candy from MRE's in their Camel-Back.

Now it sounds like they just give it to them.

[cheesyhybrid]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

Kids hid candy from MRE's in their Camel-Back.

Now it sounds like they just give it to them.

Infantry needs all the calories they can get.

[stormvet]

Interesting and actually pretty smart on the Army’s part to do this, it was do to the high percentage of stress fractures and overall lack of vitamin D in recruits.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-...asic-trainees/

[rero360]

Originally Posted by stormvet

Interesting and actually pretty smart on the Army’s part to do this; it was due to the high percentage of stress fractures and overall lack of vitamin D in recruits.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-...asic-trainees/

No kidding, when I was at Ft Sill back in 2012 for JFO school, I would see the basic trainees marching around, and there would always be a gaggle of them in the back on crutches. I asked one of the Drill Sergeants why that was (helped being the same rank at the time), and I was told that they were almost all stress fractures due to poor diet and a sedentary childhood.

When I went through Basic and AIT at Benning in 2000, I only remember two people from the entire company on crutches at one point or another, myself from jacking up my heel coming off the top rack and stiff leg landing on it, and another guy who was bitten in the knee by a spider (possibly black widow) which caused a staff infection.

As to the bars, we never got anything like that; heck, whenever I got stuck on KP duty, I'd volunteer for pots and pans so I could stuff my face with food coming off the line. I would also get force-fed when we were out in the field; myself and a few others were super skinny, so the drill sergeants would load our plates up with food and then make us come back for seconds. Now it's my turn to try and fatten up the scrawny kids when I serve food out in the field.

[maggie06]

Originally Posted by jarhead714

It was at great risk, and it is with great shame that I admit this as I was a squad leader and as such it was setting a poor example, but I once smuggled saltine crackers and some jelly packets from the chow hall, hid them in my pillowcase, and then consumed them on the ****ter at midnight while my rack mate was on fire watch. That was how you did a “Night Night” bar at MCRD Hollywood, California there, Doggie.

Congratulations on completing recruit training. Give him one!

Brings back memories.
Me and the other “secretary” hid cans of Copenhagen in head and at night would have a dip and pretend crap.

[Mustard]

Originally Posted by rero360

No kidding, when I was at Ft Sill back in 2012 for JFO school, I would see the basic trainees marching around, and there would always be a gaggle of them in the back on crutches. I asked one of the Drill Sergeants why that was (helped being the same rank at the time), and I was told that they were almost all stress fractures due to poor diet and a sedentary childhood.

At one point about 25% of our class was on crutches

[Mullins]

We didn't have any of this at FT. Benning in 2013 but my platoon had 4 people get stress fractures, 2 with broken bones, and 2 recycles for "other" medical issues.

Civilian vitamin D and calcium supplements would be cheaper than buying "night night bars". Wait a while and the urge for them will fade.

Edit: We all got rather bad upper respiratory infections though...

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I have never heard of "night night bars." But in Army BCT in the 90's, I regularly feasted on cherry cough drops and tap water. I also got about 30 extra seconds of sleep most nights by sleeping on top of my made rack.

[kwest10]

Originally Posted by jarhead714

It was at great risk, and it is with great shame that I admit this as I was a squad leader and as such it was setting a poor example, but I once smuggled saltine crackers and some jelly packets from the chow hall, hid them in my pillowcase, and then consumed them on the ****ter at midnight while my rack mate was on fire watch. That was how you did a “Night Night” bar at MCRD Hollywood, California there, Doggie.

Congratulations on completing recruit training. Give him one!

KILL!
All we got was a canteen of tap water and a hygiene inspection

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by tnlrat37

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

That's all we got in AF boot as well.

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by rero360

No kidding, when I was at Ft Sill back in 2012 for JFO school, I would see the basic trainees marching around, and there would always be a gaggle of them in the back on crutches. I asked one of the Drill Sergeants why that was (helped being the same rank at the time), and I was told that they were almost all stress fractures due to poor diet and a sedentary childhood.

When I went through Basic and AIT at Benning in 2000, I only remember two people from the entire company on crutches at one point or another, myself from jacking up my heel coming off the top rack and stiff leg landing on it, and another guy who was bitten in the knee by a spider (possibly black widow) which caused a staff infection.

As to the bars, we never got anything like that; heck, whenever I got stuck on KP duty, I'd volunteer for pots and pans so I could stuff my face with food coming off the line. I would also get force-fed when we were out in the field; myself and a few others were super skinny, so the drill sergeants would load our plates up with food and then make us come back for seconds. Now it's my turn to try and fatten up the scrawny kids when I serve food out in the field.

In the AF we called them the broken flight.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

This is giving me a lot of flashbacks to the daily horrors of basic training. Early on in "red phase" we were filing out of the DFAC as another company was filing in. As we were dumping our trays, I was at the end of the line.

There were some other Drill Sergeants and DFAC staff standing by the exit talking. I got delayed for about 15 seconds while I tried to figure out how to go around them without getting yelled at. I finally got outside and realized with pure terror that my company had already marched off.

Since it was early in BCT, I hadn't even fully got my bearings on the place. I did not even know what direction to go, because every single building looks the EFFING SAME. If there is one thing you never want to do in BCT is be wandering around by yourself.

I recalled the advice of my recruiter: "The Drill Sergeants are there to help you. If you get in trouble or don't know what to do or where to go, you ask them."

A different DS exited the DFAC ahead of his company and I approached him. I stood at Parade Rest and said "Drill Ser--" Of course he immediately went aggro.

"Who are you Private??"

I,uh

"You some kinda Lone Wolf?"

Erggh, derp, ughh

"Go away hero!"

I felt my breakfast coming up and started to yak on the grass as I range walked away. When I went around the other side of the DFAC, I realized my company's barracks were immediately adjacent to where I was standing and barfing.

When all hope was lost, I saw familiar faces and I was able to jump back in with them as they were filing out and forming up. None of my own Drill Sergeants ever noticed my absence. The entire company got smoked right after that, for no particular reason, but I was so happy to be out of my predicament that I didn't even mind getting scuffed up for the next 20-30 minutes with that post vomit sour cottonmouth stink.

hooah

[JR18]

Originally Posted by rero360

No kidding, when I was at Ft Sill back in 2012 for JFO school, I would see the basic trainees marching around, and there would always be a gaggle of them in the back on crutches. I asked one of the Drill Sergeants why that was (helped being the same rank at the time), and I was told that they were almost all stress fractures due to poor diet and a sedentary childhood.

When I went through Basic and AIT at Benning in 2000, I only remember two people from the entire company on crutches at one point or another, myself from jacking up my heel coming off the top rack and stiff leg landing on it, and another guy who was bitten in the knee by a spider (possibly black widow) which caused a staff infection.

As to the bars, we never got anything like that; heck, whenever I got stuck on KP duty, I'd volunteer for pots and pans so I could stuff my face with food coming off the line. I would also get force-fed when we were out in the field; myself and a few others were super skinny, so the drill sergeants would load our plates up with food and then make us come back for seconds. Now it's my turn to try and fatten up the scrawny kids when I serve food out in the field.

At one point in AIT there were only 10-15 of us doing PT every morning. The other 30 were broken or finding ways to get there profile extended.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Originally Posted by JR18

At one point in AIT there were only 10-15 of us doing PT every morning. The other 30 were broken or finding ways to get there profile extended.

AIT Drill Sergeants have it made. Ours just made sure we got to school, smoked us, and did inspections.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by JR18

At one point in AIT there were only 10-15 of us doing PT every morning. The other 30 were broken or finding ways to get there profile extended.

Still one of my favorite pet names for people. I got a buddy that’s always complaining about being sick or injured...you guessed it, I call him prophile.
He had no idea what it meant, I told him to look it up. After he did he said that’s not very cool, I have issues. Said yeah everybody with a profile does...shoe fits.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Originally Posted by stormvet

Still one of my favorite pet names for people. I got a buddy that’s always complaining about being sick or injured...you guessed it, I call him prophile.
He had no idea what it meant, I told him to look it up. After he did he said that’s not very cool, I have issues. Said yeah everybody with a profile does...shoe fits.

Imagine if the private sector functioned like the military. Feeling sick? Got an ouchie? Boo hoo. Go to sick call for a Tylenol and they will send you right back to work.

[Kyle1886]

I guess things really changed for the sick or injured in Boot. If you had either, you left the unit, and it was considered bad time. When or if recovered in a couple of days, you returned to your original unit.

Sprains/broken bones/or anything that prevented one from engaging in training you reassigned (set back) to another unit to make up the bad time.

I was in platoon 282 MCRD and no protein bars...damn that was a long time ago. DI's were Wapp, Saldavar, and Jones. (Funny can't remember the grand kids names, the DI's; Oh yeah.

Respectfully
Kyle

[tokuno]

I recommend Costco's D3 cholecalciferol:
Kirkland D3

I take two mini-gels a night, and haven't had a sniffle in about 10 years. Literally. Previously always had minimum 1 cold - and often 2 - every year. Then I looked up the SFBay Area on a sun exposure chart (low), got a D-level test during a blood draw (low), and began supplementing. Night and Day difference. This with 4 school-aged kids bringing home every nasty bug on the planet, especially after Winter & Summer breaks, when their peers would travel back to India, Japan, China, Korea, etc.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

Imagine if the private sector functioned like the military. Feeling sick? Got an ouchie? Boo hoo. Go to sick call for a Tylenol and they will send you right back to work.

Yeah I feel the same way about all the lames that get handicap plates when they don’t need them...civilian version of a profile abuser.

[Unit74]

Originally Posted by tnlrat37

In the Corps All we ever got was Motrin, foot powder and a nice warm cup of STFU!

Word

[Unit74]

Originally Posted by norcalAF

That's all we got in AF boot as well.

Was it delivered by Housekeeping when they came to turndown your bed?

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by Unit74

Was it delivered by Housekeeping when they came to turndown your bed?

They even gave us a kiss goodnight and told us everything would be ok before they turned out the light!

[Che762x39]

Originally Posted by jarhead714

... at MCRD Hollywood, California there,

When I was at MCRD Hollywood we still had the "Smokers Circle". In the 1970s quitting cold turkey was cruel and inhumane.

[stormvet]

Originally Posted by Unit74

Was it delivered by Housekeeping when they came to turndown your bed?

Beat housekeeping ever was in the 2nd ID Camp Casey ROK, come back from a few weeks on the DMZ drop your dirty uni’s and boots by the door. Came back later that day spit shined, cleaned and pressed.

[SnWnMe]

Energy bars? They fed us green scrambled eggs and SOS for breakfast, and gooney birds for lunch and dinner (might be seagull). And we had to share the chow hall with recruits from MCRD.

[cgseanp1]

Originally Posted by Bobby Ricigliano

I have never heard of "night night bars." But in Army BCT in the 90's, I regularly feasted on cherry cough drops and tap water. I also got about 30 extra seconds of sleep most nights by sleeping on top of my made rack.

I slept on top of my made rack as well.

[Garand Hunter]

What has time wrought since 1965 at Ft Ord ! Never went thru ANY of this stuff being described in this thread. A3-3 in the cement barracks last one on the corner on the road out to East Garrison they called it back then. BUT, we were the 3rd group in after the huge shut down in the winter of 64-65 when one recruit gave his girlfriend spinal menengitis ( yeah its spelled wrong ) ( she died ) and Congress said shut down the Basic Training intake.

Psalm 1

[norcalAF]

Originally Posted by cgseanp1

I slept on top of my made rack as well.

I just shimmied down from the top and back out in the morning! Quick tighten and double check those hospital corners and gtg!

[rero360]

Originally Posted by cgseanp1

I slept on top of my made rack as well.

Same here, used my woobie as a blanket.

I remember one day I was on KP duty, taking a bathroom break when someone came in the bathroom and called out my name, it was my DS, I said I was there and he came over to the stall and dropped my padlock into my pants. I had forgotten to lock my wall locker. I finished up and rushed up to the barracks, everyone else had put my stuff back in my locker, dress right dress, I thanked everyone, threw my lock back on, and went back to KP duty. crazy day.

I also remember a night when one of the DSs from another platoon who was on staff duty that night got bored and decided to mess with us all. He turned on the fire alarm, we all woke up and rushed out to the PT field for accountability. He was nowhere to be found, we then hear his voice come over the PA system, told us to reach down, grab handfuls of dirt and throw it up in the air. after having us do that a few times he says "Charlie Company, you're sleepwalking, go back to bed" and then killed the lights to the PT field. we all headed back to bed.