There will be more than 12 times as many pies heading to U.S. troops deployed away from their loved ones this Thanksgiving — a total of 81,360 versus last year's pie count of 6,288, NBC News reported.
Traditionally, the Defense Logistics Agency, which handles food supplies for the military, feeds troops that are deployed in hazardous areas over the holidays. Though the number of troops in Afghanistan, Iraq and other bases in the Central Command area and the Middle East are similar to the number in 2017, those military servicemembers will be getting an extra 75,000 pies. DLA says it's "due to a change in menu planning."
And it's not just pies that are increasing. The amount of all holiday food items going to deployed troops is higher. DLA will provide 10,000 more pounds of ham than last year, 25,000 more pounds of beef, and more than double the 2017 amount of shrimp. There'll also be 9,000 more gallons of eggnog and 10,000 more cakes. Many of those extra cakes are cheesecakes, which have a pie-like crust.
Total calories were not available at time of publication.
