Robert Irvine has been enlisted to overhaul the dreary mess hall menus that drive many soldiers to less-healthy choices.

Some soldiers told GAO investigators that they relied on microwaveable meals or fast food, leading to health problems. This story was produced in partnership with Military Veterans in Journalism.

The Army is repurposing more than half of the money it collects from junior enlisted soldiers for food, according to data reviewed by Military.com. The numbers suggest that a large portion of ...

A Military.com investigation showed that across 11 of the Army’s largest bases “more than $151 million of $225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food.” The money was deducted ...

At the heart of the issue is the Army's Basic Allowance for Subsistence, or BAS, a roughly $460 monthly stipend for soldiers meant to offset food costs. For many junior enlisted troops living in ...

“As a matter of fact, if the Army had to depend on ESM BAS to fund the food we provide Soldiers, it wouldn’t be enough,” he continued. Even just accounting for costs like maintaining food ...