( CNN ) -- When Command Sgt . Maj. Michael T. Hall of the International Security Assistance Force announced that fast-food offerings like Pizza Hut , Dairy Queen and Orange Julius were being shuttered in Afghanistan , he was blunt about it . `` This is a warzone , not an amusement park , '' he wrote on the ISAF blog . These mobile restaurants and others that can be found on large bases in Kandahar and Bagram , are `` nonessentials '' and are being shut down to streamline delivery of much-needed battlefield supplies . However , according to some soldiers and Marines -- all of whom have served in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan -- access to the familiar hometown mall fare is n't as important to morale as many civilians may have thought . The veterans and active-duty troops all said that access to healthy foods , local cuisine and packages of snacks sent by friends and family trumped military base fast food as morale boosters . The announcement of the fast-food outposts ' shuttering inspired a lively debate on CNN 's Afghanistan blog about morale and the amenities afforded servicemen and women serving overseas -- often in harm 's way . Those affected , however , did n't seem very concerned . `` The big things that improve morale in a combat zone are lots of letters and packages from loved ones , '' Marine Cpl . David Brian Crouch said . Especially appreciated in these care packages are sweet , sour , salty and spicy condiments , such as Tabasco , sugar packets and seasoned salts for enlivening the military 's frequently derided Meals Ready to Eat -- individually packaged rations for service members stationed away from meal preparation facilities . These high-calorie MREs , which have long drawn criticism for depressingly bland flavors and textures , are precisely what Crouch , who served two tours in Iraq , says drove his fellow troops to seek out more flavorful , familiar fast food . Others look a little closer to their temporary home , sampling the local fare . While many soldiers out on combat patrols were , according to Army Capt . David Swaintek , `` too tired and drained to care much about their meal , '' he developed a taste for Iraqi flavors during his tour , which lasted from 2002 to 2008 . While he stands up for food on base , calling it `` decent '' and `` healthier '' than fast-food alternatives , he still misses his favorite flatbread , which he 'd buy while out on patrol , and he laments not being able to find anything like it stateside . Similarly adventurous , previously deployed Marines now at California 's Camp Pendeleton do n't have to venture far from their barracks to indulge in the Middle Eastern-style specialties they 've come to love . According to the Marine Corps Times , DedeMed 's Shawarma House now serves the eponymous gyro-like sandwich -- as well as hummus , tabbouleh salad and baklava -- to Marines who 'd been stationed in Iraq and the Persian Gulf . Swaintek , while lauding the indigenous cuisine , also cried foul about fatty U.S. fast foods , saying that `` overweight soldiers are a problem . '' Army Sgt . Paul Williams , who is serving in Iraq , agrees with the captain but indulges in `` the occasional pizza from Pizza Hut , burrito from Taco Bell , or maybe even a sandwich from Subway , '' citing the virtue of being able to enjoy a pizza in the middle of the desert and escape for a few minutes to talk with fellow soldiers about their homes , sweethearts or future plans . Ultimately , though , the military is a culture of intense physical fitness , and access to nutritious meals at mess halls helps servicemen and women maintain their physical and psychological . edge . And Williams says that `` a soldier has a responsibility to maintain himself . '' While deployed troops can certainly take the reins of their physical health , friends and family stateside can still boost morale and offer a taste of home with much-appreciated care packages . The Department of Defense maintains a list of links to groups coordinating care packages for overseas soldiers . According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , most foods that are tightly prepackaged and immune to mold or bacterial growth are safe for sending to soldiers . They recommend dried proteins , like beef and turkey jerky , as well as dehydrated soups , dried fruits and even dense baked goods like fruitcakes . Just make sure to seal it all up with a kiss .
Military closing mobile Pizza Express , Dairy Queen , Orange Julius , other outlets in town . Eateries are virtually nonessential , officers say the closures ' n't upset troops ' morale . Troops : Morale is about the amenities sent from families , especially in U.S .