March 12—Marines have plenty of options within the confines of Camp Pendleton, a 125,000-acre base, in California, to satisfy their gastronomic urges. Home to more than 50,000 Marines and sailors and several thousand civilian workers during the week, Camp Pendleton has seen an explosion in food choices over the last four years.
In addition to the several military chow halls around the base that are restricted to troops only and have specific feeding times, the base now has some two dozen other food outlets, including several fast-food franchises open all day and most of the evening.
The rise in the latter has occurred simultaneously with increasing attention on healthy eating for all segments of American society, including the military.