GAO-06-410R Military Meals 

United States Government Accountability Office

Washington, DC 20548 

February 13, 2006 

The Honorable Susan M. Collins 

Chairman 

The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman 

Ranking Minority Member 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

United States Senate 

The Honorable Tom Davis 

Chairman 

The Honorable Henry A. Waxman 

Ranking Minority Member 

Committee on Government Reform 

House of Representatives 

Subject: Investigation: Military Meals, Ready-To-Eat Sold on eBay 

As a result of widespread congressional and public interest in the federal response to 

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we conducted a limited investigation into allegations 

that military Meal, Ready-To-Eat (MRE) rations intended for use in the hurricane 

relief efforts were instead sold to the public on the Internet auction site eBay. We 

focused our efforts on confirming whether selected MREs being offered for sale on 

eBay were military issue and, if so, interviewing the sellers to determine how they 

obtained the MREs. 

In summary, after investigating 1 day of MRE sales on eBay, we found that 8 of 12 

eBay sellers we investigated were selling MREs over the Internet. In addition, there is 

evidence that at least some of these MREs were diverted from hurricane relief efforts. 

Specifically, 2 of the MRE sellers, who were victims of Hurricane Katrina, 

accumulated cases of MREs during the relief efforts; however, rather than consume 

all of the MREs, they sold some of them on eBay. In addition, a member of the 

Georgia National Guard who was mobilized for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts may 

have stolen and sold MREs intended to feed other mobilized servicemembers. 

Because this National Guard member refused to provide information that would have 

corroborated his claim regarding how he obtained the MREs, we concluded that it is 

possible, and perhaps likely, that he obtained the MREs through unauthorized or 

improper means, such as theft. Although we cannot conclusively link the remaining 

five MRE sales to the hurricane relief efforts, our investigation revealed additional 

instances where sellers may have improperly obtained MREs and sold them to the 

public for private gain. 
Scope and Methodology 

To perform our work, we conducted a limited, or “snapshot,” investigation by 

focusing on the sale of MREs on eBay on October 18, 2005. We chose that day 

because relief efforts, which included distributions of MREs, were under way in all 

the states affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We investigated a 

nonrepresentative selection of eBay members selling MREs on that day—the 12 

claiming to offer more than four cases of military MREs for sale. Using limited 

information provided by eBay, we were able to positively identify 9 of these 12 

sellers. By examining information from the MRE cases and interviewing three 

manufacturers of military MREs, we confirmed that 8 of these 9 sellers were in fact 

offering military MREs for sale. To determine whether the sellers had any connection 

to hurricane relief efforts, we reviewed documents from eBay; asked the sellers to 

explain how they obtained the MREs; and, if possible, conducted follow-up 

interviews with sources identified by the sellers. Four of the 8 sellers would not 

provide us with information about their sources; in these cases, we could not 

corroborate the stories they gave us about how they came to be in possession of the 

military MREs. We conducted our work from September 2005 through January 2006 

under the statutory authority given to the Comptroller General of the United States 

and in accordance with quality standards for investigations as set forth by the 

President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency. 

Background 

Military MREs are designed to sustain an individual engaged in strenuous activity, 

such as military training or actual military operations, when normal food service 

facilities are not available. In general, military MREs contain a full meal packed in a 

flexible bag; are boxed in cases of 12; and labeled with the National Stock Number 

(8970-00-149-1094), government contract number, and other markings. Within DOD, 

the Defense Logistics Agency’s (DLA) Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) is 

responsible for the acquisition and disbursement of operational rations—including 

military MREs. Neither DSCP nor any of the three manufacturers we interviewed will 

sell military MREs to civilians; however, DSCP resells MREs to other government 

entities. On average, DSCP pays about $52.57 per case of MREs. 

As a result of unauthorized sales to civilians, DODbegan requiring that “U.S. 

Government Property, Commercial Resale is Unlawful,” be printed on each case of 

MREs (see fig. 1).1

 Furthermore, although no statutes or regulations specifically 

prohibit the sale of military MREs, DSCP’s customer eligibility policy states that DOD 

regulations permit the sale of MREs to a limited number of organizations, including, 

among others, U.S. military organizations and federally funded activities.2

Consequently, servicemembers, federal civilian personnel, and contractors selling 

stolen MREs could face criminal charges related to theft of military property.3

 

 1

 Civilian MREs may be sold to the general public and are not labeled with this information. 2

 See http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/rations/index.htl. 3

 For laws applicable to military personnel, see U.C.M.J. Art. 108 (sale, loss, damage, destruction, or

wrongful disposition of military property); Art. 121 (larceny and wrongful appropriation); and Art. 134 

(stolen property: knowingly receiving, buying, or concealing). For laws applicable to civilian personnel 

and contractors, see 18 U.S.C. § 641 (taking public money, property, or records). 

Page 2 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
Figure 1: Military MRE Labeling 

Source: GAO.

In 2002, after discovering that military MREs were being sold to the public on eBay, 

DSCP sent an e-mail to the sellers requesting that they voluntarily terminate these 

sales because military MREs are procured by DLA with taxpayer dollars and owned 

by the government until consumed by authorized personnel or disposed of. The email also advised the sellers that military MREs are never considered surplus and that 

resale of MREs is strictly prohibited. Sales dropped off dramatically for a short time 

after this e-mail; however, military MRE sales have since resumed. Since the 2002 

letter, DSCP has made two other unsuccessful attempts via e-mail to deter sales of 

military MREs. 

Details of Investigation 

On October 18, 2005, eight eBay members that we investigated sold military MREs 

over the Internet. Table 1 highlights the information we obtained from eBay records 

and the eight sellers. During the course of our investigation, we determined that two 

of the eight were disaster victims and could have received the MREs through 

legitimate means. Of the other six, four could not provide information to corroborate 

their claims regarding how they obtained MREs, one provided information that was 

inconsistent with what we subsequently learned, and the other admitted to taking 

MREs from his base. Consequently, as indicated in table 1, we referred these six 

cases to DOD’s Inspector General (IG) for further investigation after concluding that 

it is possible, and perhaps likely, that the sellers either indirectly or directly obtained 

Page 3 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
the MREs through theft or some other improper or unauthorized means and profited 

from their sale. More detailed information on each of the cases follows the table. 

Table 1: Military MRE Sales on eBay on October 18, 2005 

Case Seller’s location Seller a 

military 

member? 

How did Seller obtain the MREs? GAO 

referred 

case to

DOD IG? 

claim to

1 Murfreesboro, 

Tenn. 

No. Purchased at a flea market in Kentucky. Seller 

stated that he could not recall the location of 

the flea market. 

Yes. 

2 Kenner, La. No. Picked up numerous MREs at several 

hurricane relief distribution centers. Seller

was a victim of Hurricane Katrina 

No. 

3 Norco, La. No. Picked up numerous MREs at several 

hurricane relief distribution centers. Seller

was a victim of Hurricane Katrina. 

No. 

4 Pensacola, Fla, Yes; 

retired.

Purchased at neighborhood yard sales. Seller 

stated that he could not provide any 

information to corroborate this story. 

Yes. 

5 Woodstock, Ga. Yes. Given permission to take MREs when 

deployment for hurricane relief ended. Seller

refused to provide the name of the person who 

gave him permission. 

Yes. 

6 Alamogordo, N.M. Yes. Received MREs from a fellow service member 

for storage. This fellow service member had

permission to take the MREs, but Seller sold 

the MREs without his knowledge. 

Yes. 

7 Albany, Ga. Yes. Took MREs out of a dumpster at Marine base. 

Seller is currently under investigation. 

Yes. 

8 Barstow, Calif.aNo. Purchased from local scouting and camping 

groups. Seller stated that he was unable to

provide any information te this 

story. 

Yes. 

to corrobora

Source: GAO. a Seller’s previous addres was in Louisiana. 

Case 1: Seller is a policeman with the Tennessee State Guard and was a coordinator 

of shelters in the Nashville area for hurricane relie id he purchased 50 cases

of MREs at a flea market in Kentucky for about $25 a case and has been selling them 

on eBay for about $50 a case. We asked Seller to provide us with the exact location of 

the flea market, but he said he could not recall where it was. While at Seller’s 

residence, we found approximately 21 cases of military MREs packaged, labeled, and 

ready to be shipped to buyers from eBay in the Seller’s truck (see fig. 2). According to 

Seller’s supervisor in the Tennessee State Guard, Seller did not have access to 

military MREs while coordinating the shelters in Nashville. We also confirmed with 

the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency that MREs were not being distributed 

to disaster victims in Nashville. 

s

f. Seller sa

Page 4 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
Figure 2: MREs Ready to Be Shipped 

Source: GAO.

Case 2: Seller was a victim of Hurricane Katrina and said that he picked up the MREs 

at local distribution centers established in his area of Louisiana. Seller said he sold 

some of the MREs on eBay because he was unemployed and needed money. 

Case 3: Seller was a victim of Hurricane Katrina and said that he picked up the

MREs at local distribution centers in Destrehan, Louisiana. Seller’s home address is 

in a part of Louisiana directly affected by the hurricane. Seller said that he sold 

approximately six or seven cases on eBay since the beginning of September, for 

approximately $40 each. He said that he sold the MREs because he was unemployed 

and needed money. 

Case 4: Seller retired from the U.S. Air Force in July 2004, where he was a financial 

superintendent responsible for voucher processing. Seller stated that he obtained the 

MREs from neighbors and yard sales prior to the hurricanes. We asked Seller to 

provide specific names and addresses for these sources, but he said that he could not 

do so. Seller said he has sold approximately 40 or 50 cases of MREs since March 

2005. 

Case 5: Seller is a Sergeant in the Georgia National Guard and was deployed to 

Lyman, Mississippi, from September 3 to 22 as part cane Katrina relief

effort. Seller stated that his unit received MREs during this mission. According to 

Seller, these MREs w re intended for use by his un for distribution to

of the Hurri

e it, and not

Page 5 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
hurricane victims. After his deployment ended, Seller stated that he was given 

permission to take some of the leftover MREs but actually took all of the remaining 

26 cases. Seller acknowledged that he began selling these MREs on eBay on October 

1, 2005, for approximately $45 per box. We asked Seller to provide the name of the 

person who gave him permission to take these MREs, but he refused to do so. 

Case 6: Seller is a member of the U.S. Air Force and is stationed at Holloman Air 

Force base in New Mexico. Seller stated that a friend, a fellow U.S. Air Force member 

assigned to the same base, gave him approximately eight cases of MREs to store. 

Seller insisted that the MREs in question were not allocated for hurricane relief 

efforts, and stated that he sold them on eBay for approximately $40 each but did not 

give any of the proceeds to his friend. We also contacted Seller’s friend, who claimed 

that he gave Seller 14 boxes of MREs to store and stated that the Seller sold the MREs 

without his knowledge. The friend said that he got permission from an instructor at 

Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas, to take excess MREs for use on a 

future training exerc . We spoke to the instructo ed that he gave

permission for 1 case of MREs to be used on a future training exercise but was not 

aware that 14 cases were taken. The instructor confirmed that the MREs in question 

were for use by military trainees, and not allocated for hurricane victims. 

Case 7: Seller is a member of the Marine Corps and is stationed at the Marine Corp 

Logistics Base in Albany, Georgia. Seller refused to talk to us, but acknowledged that 

he was being investigated by Marine Corps Criminal Investigative Division (CID) 

because of his involvement in the sale of MREs. A Major in the CID office said that 

the Seller admitted to taking the MREs from a dumpster on base and explained that 

expired or damaged cases are thrown into this dumpster for eventual destruction. 

CID investigators found 61 cases of MREs in Seller’s home and vehicle but did not 

find evidence that any of the MREs had actually been sold. The Major stated that he 

did not think that Seller would be charged with any crime related to the MREs 

had been thrown away. 

r Re-Use Specialist of the CDGS stated that neither 

the BSA nor any other similar organization received MREs donated to the state of 

California by the military. 

Conclusion 

Military MREs are procured by government entities using taxpayer dollars, and are 

intended to be consumed by individuals from authorized organizations and activities. 

ise r, who stat

because they

Case 8: Seller, a former resident of Louisiana, is a businessman in California who 

resides approximately 37 miles from the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, 

which specializes in desert training. Seller stated that over the past 5 years he has 

sold about 40 cases of MREs for approximately $34 per case. He said that he used to 

obtain MREs from military personnel, but that he discontinued that practice on the 

advice of base authorities. Seller said he now purchases the MREs from local 

scouting and camping groups that receive MRE donations from the military. We 

asked Seller to provide contact information for these sources, but he said that he was 

unable to do so. We verified that the California Department of General Services

(CDGS) is a state agency that receives surplus MREs from the military and that the 

Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are authorized to requisition MREs from them. 

However, the Manager and Senio

Page 6 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
Consequently, if military MREs are sold to the general public on eBay, then they are 

clearly not reaching their intended recipients and represent a waste of taxpayer 

dollars and possible criminal activity.

______________________ 

Although we are issuing no recommendations, we have referred six of the eight cases 

we identified to the Department of Defense Inspector General. In addition, we are 

sending copies of this report to the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency. We will 

provide copies to others on request, and the report is available at no charge on GAO’s 

home page at http://www.gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional 

Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report. If you or 

your staff have any questions about this report, please contact me at (202) 512-9505 

or kutzg@gao.gov. 

Gregory D. Kutz 

Managing Director 

Forensic Audits and Special Investigations 

(192195) 

Page 7 GAO-06-410R Military Meals 
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