In a recent report by the Daily Caller, military veterans expressed their disapproval of a new Pentagon initiative that could see troops consuming lab-grown meat.
The proposal, put forth by BioMADE, a Pentagon-funded entity, aims to reduce the military's carbon footprint. This plan, however, has been met with criticism from veterans who view it as a sign of the Pentagon treating troops as experimental subjects.
BioMADE, which has received over $500 million in funding from the Department of Defense (DOD), proposed this plan in May as part of their project call release. The company's objective is to feed active military members lab-grown meat, a move that has been met with skepticism and concern. "I think the government should focus on letting the military protect our nation from enemies, foreign and domestic, sometimes, but you know, thats what the military is there for," Martin Bailey, a former U.S. Special Forces member, told the Caller. "Theyre not there to be experimental lab-rats."
Lab-grown meat, also known as "cell-based meat," is still in its experimental phase. It received initial government approval for sale only last year. This type of meat is produced in a lab using animal cells and added chemicals, aiming to manufacture meat without the need for animal slaughter, as reported by The Washington Free Beacon.
The proposal has raised questions about the willingness of troops to participate in this experiment, particularly in light of recent experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Theres a large number of active reserve guard members who are still a little jaded from the COVID shot and are very unwilling to be part of the new experiment," Tim W., a former Navy Seal of 22 years, told the Caller.
The SLAM Project Call, which includes this initiative, was released on June 3, with the project set to commence in February 2025, according to the BioMADE release. The DOD under President Joe Biden has been increasingly focusing on reducing the military's carbon footprint, with one proposed method being the development of "nutrient-dense" rations through novel meat production processes.
Former Defense Department official Matt Spence believes that investing in alternative ways to produce meat is the most immediate and high-impact way for the U.S. government to address climate change. However, alongside this focus on climate change, the Pentagon has also requested $140 million to expand diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, a move that has drawn criticism from some quarters. "The militarys job is forward defense, alliance, solidarity and deterrence, and thats it," Rob ONeill, a former U.S. Navy Seal, told the Caller. "All that other stuff is crap this is typical Washington DC nonsense movement."
The introduction of lab-grown meat into the military's rations has also raised ethical questions. "You know, why doesnt the government feed experimental meat product that, you dont even know what it is, why dont they feed that to, lets say, homeless people," Bailey said. "Well, theres a reason they dont, because that would be completely unethical. So why is it ethical to stick it down the throat of our military service members?"
The quality of the U.S. Militarys rations has been a subject of scrutiny even without the addition of lab-grown meat. MREs, or 'Meals, Rarely Edible', have often been viewed as more of a novelty item than a viable meal option. "It appears that until new Defense Department leadership builds a winning force, service members will continue surviving off scraps," Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller told the Caller.
The proposal has also been criticized for diverting the military's focus from its primary purpose. "The purpose of the military is to win our wars and to kill our enemies," Eric Greitens, former Governor of Missouri and Navy SEAL, told the Caller. "Trying to force troops to eat lab-grown meat to reduce CO2 emissions, is the height of woke nonsense. Its such a stupid idea, that in any sane world it would be considered a joke."
The military has been facing a significant recruiting crisis, with over 8,400 members forced out for declining the COVID-19 vaccine, according to an article published by the Associated Press in Feb 2023. Critics argue that initiatives like the lab-grown meat proposal are contributing to this crisis. "Its pushing it, pushing woke agenda on the military" ONeill said. "All its saying is because the militarys top concern is climate change, which is complete BS. And its the same thing with trying to put Chinese-made solar panels on the Pentagon. Theyre wasting their time with nonsense."
ONeill further argued that the U.S. government should be focusing on more pressing issues than lab-grown meat and the military's carbon footprint. "Its a shame that were going to find out the hard way who our real enemies are, as were, you know, dont think China, Russia and Iran are worried about lab-grown meat," ONeill said. "Theyre worried about taking over the world. And were not."
Login