CNN reports: “Do military-themed culinary creations like parachute pork, battalion brownie pops or Ranger red hot party mix sound appealing to you?”  

“If so, Uncle Sam wants you to participate in a research study.”  

“The U.S. Army Institute of Environmental Medicine is looking for volunteers  (PDF) to eat military food rations for 21 consecutive days for a study of the impact of Meals, Ready-to-Eat, or MREs, on gut health. Researchers want to learn how MREs influence the millions of bacteria in troops’ digestive systems.”