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Fact check: How do civilians get hold of surplus military MRE?
1. Summary of the results
The legality and availability of military MREs for civilians presents a complex and sometimes contradictory situation. While some sources indicate that civilians CAN legally purchase MREs from authorized distributors [1], others directly contradict this, stating it's illegal as they are government property [2]. Multiple legitimate channels for obtaining MREs have been identified, including:
2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints
Several important contextual factors were not addressed in the original question:
- Quality and Safety Concerns: Many surplus MREs are expired or near expiration, requiring careful verification of pack dates [4]
- Black Market Activity: There's documented evidence of illegal trading, particularly in international markets like South Korea, where contractors have been found collecting and reselling discarded MREs from U.S. military bases [6]
- Government Oversight: The Government Accountability Office has investigated the sale of MREs, particularly following events like Hurricane Katrina, viewing it as a potential misuse of taxpayer resources [3]
3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement
The original question oversimplifies what is actually a complex legal and regulatory issue. Several important considerations were omitted:
- Legal Ambiguity: There's significant contradiction between sources about the legality of civilian MRE purchases. While some sources state there are no legal restrictions on civilian purchases [4], others warn of potential criminal charges [2]
- Resale Restrictions: Even when purchase is legal, reselling without authorization is explicitly prohibited [1]
- Beneficiaries of Ambiguity: Several groups benefit from this grey market:
- Military personnel selling MREs [3]
- Online marketplace operators
- Black market operators, particularly in international locations [6]
- Surplus store owners and gun show vendors [5]