National Guard soldiers defending the Capitol have fallen ill after being fed meat that’s almost entirely raw – with shaved metal that whistleblowers say is also found in the disgusting meals.
An anonymous Michigan National Guard sergeant told WXYZ that the force has repeatedly complained after more than a dozen troops became ill from undercooked meat.
“Yesterday, for example, 74 different meals were found with raw beef in them,” the sergeant told the station on Monday, sharing images of meat looking completely raw in the middle.
“Just yesterday … soldiers found metal shavings in their food,” he said.
Undercooked meals that are “good from the start” were then made “even more dangerous” by delaying up to four hours before serving, he said.
Despite their key role in defending the Capitol against feared domestic terrorist plots, the troops were also woefully undernourished, the sergeant lamented.
A typical breakfast was “maybe a Danish and some kind of juice,” while sometimes it was “clearly a sandwich and SunnyD,” said the sergeant.
Another soldier complained last month that “Several soldiers got sick and vomited after eating,” noted The Detroit News.
“Morale is very bad; many have served abroad and cannot believe the quality of the food they receive here, ”the soldier complained.
Michigan National Guard – which still has nearly 1,000 troops in the Capitol – has issued a statement On Monday, the reports were called “very worrying” and “unacceptable,” saying it had to do with the involved contractor.
“The health and wellbeing of our Michigan National Guard members are paramount to their success as they continue to serve on missions in the United States and around the world,” the statement said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office told local media that she addressed the issue last month and was confident it had been resolved.
All 14 members of the Michigan House delegation signed a letter on Tuesday asking the National Guard to void the food service contract and find another vendor.
“It is completely unacceptable that our men and women serving in Washington, DC, are hospitalized because of the food they are given,” the lawmakers wrote.
Michigan forces make up about 20% of the 5,200 security guards and airmen who support civilian law enforcement in the Capitol, noted The Detroit News, whose deployment will end on March 12.
With pole wires