During the war in Iran, the US military continued one of the longest-standing “battlefield traditions” in the global war on terror – “massive consumption of energy drinks.” General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed this news at a press conference held at the Pentagon.
In addition to sharing statistics on the military strikes against Iranian forces during the “Epic Fury” operation, Caine also mentioned the dietary habits of the US military during this operation.
“We consumed over 6 million meals in total, and I estimate we also went through more than 950,000 gallons of coffee, 2 million cans of energy drinks, and a significant amount of nicotine,” he said, jokingly adding, “I’m not saying we have a problem.”
Energy drinks have long been closely associated with military culture.
An online media outlet focusing on US troops and defense industry, Task & Purpose, reported that energy drinks have become as iconic on the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan wars as Humvees, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs), and chewing tobacco for soldiers.
For veterans who have participated in wars post-9/11, it’s no surprise that during the Iran conflict, the forces once again relied on sugar, caffeine, and tobacco.
According to Stars and Stripes, research shows that personnel performing combat missions are more inclined to use any caffeine-containing products, “especially coffee and energy drinks,” while combat support personnel most commonly use tea, chewing gum, and medication.
The US military launched the “Epic Fury” operation against Iran on February 28. On Tuesday, April 7, both sides reached a two-week ceasefire agreement. Caine emphasized during a press conference on Wednesday that the ceasefire is only temporary, and if ordered or requested to resume combat operations, the joint forces will execute missions with the speed and precision demonstrated over the past 38 days.
Caine stated that the joint US military forces targeted over 13,000 Iranian objectives. 90% of Iran’s weapon factories were hit, including all facilities producing the “Shahed” drones. The US military also destroyed around 80% of Iran’s air defense systems. Over 2,000 Iranian command and control nodes were also destroyed.
Caine expressed sincere gratitude for the immense sacrifices made by the US military during this challenging operation.