Ration Requirements

Introduction

The Ration Requirements module provides a comprehensive system for managing participants' meal requirements during military exercises. It enables exercise coordinators to track which participants require meals, what types of meals they need, where they'll be fed, and any special dietary requirements they may have.

Key Features

  • Meal Management: Configure breakfast, lunch, and dinner requirements individually
  • Dietary Requirements Tracking: Record and manage special dietary needs
  • Location Assignment: Specify different feeding locations for each meal type
  • Funding Source Allocation: Track which entity is funding each meal
  • Time-Based Requirements: Set date ranges for when ration requirements are active
  • Detailed View Interface: Comprehensive view for clear requirement viewing
  • Filter and Search: Find specific requirements based on multiple criteria
  • Accommodation Integration: Automatically set default feeding locations based on billeting assignment

Core Concepts

Meal Types

Participants can be configured with requirements for three standard meal types:

  • Breakfast: Typically served in the morning (06:00-08:00)
  • Lunch: Midday meal (11:30-13:30)
  • Dinner: Evening meal (17:30-19:30)

Each meal type can be independently enabled or disabled per participant, with its own source of funding and feeding location.

Funding Sources

The system tracks who is responsible for funding each meal through the following options:

  • Self-Funded: The participant or their organization covers the cost
  • Host Nation Funded: The host nation covers the cost
  • Partner Nation Funded: A partner nation covers the cost
  • Local Nation Funded: The local nation where the exercise is taking place covers the cost

These funding sources are automatically suggested based on the participant's funding status but can be individually adjusted for each meal type.

Feeding Locations

Meals can be served at different locations:

  • Accommodation: The participant's assigned accommodation (default)
  • Venue: An exercise venue or other location

The system supports configuration where participants may eat different meals at different locations. For example, breakfast at their accommodation, lunch at an exercise venue, and dinner back at their accommodation.

Dietary Requirements

The system allows tracking of various dietary requirements:

  • Vegan: No animal products
  • Vegetarian: No meat
  • Gluten-Free: No gluten-containing grains
  • Dairy-Free: No dairy products
  • Lactose Intolerant: No lactose
  • Halal: Follows Islamic dietary laws
  • Kosher: Follows Jewish dietary laws
  • Pescitarian: No meat except fish
  • Allergies: Has food allergies
  • Other: Other dietary requirements

Multiple dietary requirements can be specified for a single participant, along with detailed descriptions for each requirement.

Managing Ration Requirements

Viewing Ration Requirements

  1. Accessing the Ration Requirements List:

    • Navigate to the Ration tab in the Participant Management section of the left-hand menu.
    • The ration requirements list displays all participants with their meal requirements.

  2. Using Filters and Search:

    • Use the search bar to find specific participants.
    • Use the filter options to narrow results by accommodation, funding status, or dietary requirements.

  3. Viewing Detailed Requirements:

    • Click on a row to view the detailed ration requirements for a specific participant.
    • The view page shows comprehensive information organized into sections:
      • Participant Information
      • Meal Requirements (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
      • Dietary Requirements
      • Duration (required from/until dates)
      • Notes

  4. Viewing Dietary Requirements:

    • In the table view, click on "View Requirements" in the Dietary Requirements column to see a modal with detailed dietary information.
    • Each dietary requirement displays with an appropriate icon, color, and description.

Creating Ration Requirements

  1. Click the New Ration Requirement button on the Ration Requirements list page.

  2. Complete the form with the following sections:

    • Participant Information:

      • Select the participant (each participant can only have one ration requirement record per exercise)
      • Select the accommodation (defaults to the participant's billeting accommodation if assigned)

    • Meal Requirements:

      • For each meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner):
        • Check the box if the meal is required
        • If required, select the funding source
        • Optionally specify a different feeding location from the accommodation

    • Dietary Requirements:

      • Add any special dietary requirements using the table repeater
      • For each requirement, select the type and provide additional details if needed

    • Duration:

      • Specify the date range during which the ration requirements apply
      • Defaults to the exercise start and end dates

    • Notes:

      • Add any additional information about the participant's meal requirements

  3. Click Save to create the ration requirement record.

{info} The system will automatically suggest appropriate meal sources and locations based on the participant's funding status and billeting assignment.

Editing Ration Requirements

  1. From the Ration Requirements list, click the action menu (three dots) for the record you want to edit, then select Edit.

  2. Alternatively, from the view page, click the Edit button in the header.

  3. Update the necessary fields in the form.

  4. Click Save to apply your changes.

Deleting Ration Requirements

  1. From the Ration Requirements list, click the action menu (three dots) for the record you want to delete, then select Delete.

  2. Confirm the deletion in the confirmation dialog.

{warning} Deleting a ration requirement record will remove all meal requirements for that participant. Consider editing the record instead if you only need to make changes.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  1. Cannot create a ration requirement for a participant:

    • Check if the participant already has a ration requirement record (only one is allowed per exercise)
    • Verify that all required fields are completed

  2. Meal locations not displaying correctly:

    • Ensure the participant has a valid accommodation assignment
    • Check that the location selected is valid for the exercise

  3. Funding source issues:

    • Verify that the participant has a valid funding status assigned
    • If using custom sources, ensure they are properly configured in the system