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Turkeys, hams deployed to combat zones

Now that’s one big shopping list.

The Defense Logistics Agency has almost finished getting about half a million pounds of turkey plus other Thanksgiving dinner fixings to Afghanistan and Iraq.

The 13-item menu also includes ham, beef tenderloin, shrimp and trimmings such as vegetables, desserts and cakes.

Troops in Iraq will eat 376,924 pounds of turkey, 26,946 pies, 7,188 cans of cranberry sauce and 37,107 pounds of stuffing mix for Thanksgiving.

Much of the Thanksgiving feast is already in Iraq — and Afghanistan, as well. Service members in that theater will feast on the same types of items in smaller quantities, with one exception — they’ll get more beef tenderloin, 112,467 pounds, than turkey, 90,575 pounds.

Buyers at DLA started shopping for the Thanksgiving meal items for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in April, getting the process started early to ensure everything gets overseas in time. Officials start delivering items in mid-October to allow for any unexpected changes or redistributions due to troop movements.

“It’s very important to us to give our troops a taste of home during the holidays, so we start planning the traditional Thanksgiving meal even before Memorial Day rolls around,” Air Force Brig. Gen. Scott Chambers said in a statement. Chambers is commander of DLA’s Philadelphia field office, which provides all the food for military personnel worldwide.