In this unique deployment situation....they wanted only ‘guards’ and not the support structure that would normally come with them (chow hall, medical staff, tent-city, etc).
So they ended up in hotel rooms (special gov’t rates), and meals contracted out via local catering. So you could get a plain juice, a coffee and a large breakfast roll for $8.50 (that’s standard pricing in the DC/Arlington region).
I’d readily admit this is a marginally-planned deployment and reminds me of a number of 1980s NG deployments where they trucked guys in and pretended that they were accomplishing something important (for the cameras).
The military could have sent in Army Field Kitchens and put them in the parking lots at the Pentagon, Andrew AFB (like the old name), Bolling AFB, Ft. McNair, etc.
There are enough McDonalds, Popeyes, Papa John Pizza, Pizza Huts, Dominoes Pizza, Taco Bells, Wendy’s, etc. within three miles of the Capital, esp. in No. Va - King Street, Duke Street, Columbia Pike, Four Mile Run, S. Glebe Road, etc. to feed the city the bases of Egg mcMuffins, sweet rolls, coffee, ice tea, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, fries, soda, steak sandwiches, etc., to feed these National Guard soldiers. This doesn’t even include DC restaurants/carry outs in the food area of 7th St NW from Penn. Ave to Gallery Place.
There are probably a lot of CLOSED small restaurants/carry outs who would love to reopen as hot food/sandwich carry-outs in that same area of DC, and at reasonable prices, all within spitting distance of the Capitol.
All it takes is some imagination, decent military commanders, effective DC politicians (Not a chance in hell), and a more than willing food service industry. Right now I’d only bet on a “willing food service industry”. There is nothing effective about the DC Government. The military has been neutered by Biden and his leftist traitors and fools, and “imagination” has been banned from DC as a “right wing extremist philosophy”.
Meanwhile the weather sucks - cold, lots of rain, some freezing rain, high winds, etc. You won’t find any politicians doing the cooking except for “show”.
Biden, Harris, Kerry, Margosy, etc. are saying “Yes we did - NOT”!!!