[url]http://www.sbccom.army.mil/products/food/TDNDS.htm[/url]

Transdermal Nutrient Delivery System (TDNDS)

What It Is:
During short periods of high intensity conflict, soldiers may not have access to a real meal or the time to eat it. The Transdermal Nutrient Delivery System (TDNDS) is a nutrition patch that will transmit vitamins and other micronutrients or nutraceuticals to the warfighters and sustain their physical and mental performance.

Why It’s Needed:

Future warfighters may spend substantial amounts of time encapsulated in protective garments or in vehicles with limited access to normal meals. Replenishment of some of the most bioactive nutrients found in foods is needed, using a method that’s controllable and minimally invasive.

How It Works:

A smart delivery system will conceivably expand on similar technology used in the nicotine patch; however, instead of transmitting nicotine, the TDNDS will serve as a reservoir of micronutrients and nutraceuticals. Advances in nutritional sciences, miniaturized physiological monitors and molecular delivery will be exploited. One potential means of transmitting nutrients would work like this: Sensors would first take readings on a warfighter’s metabolism, then send information about the soldier’s nutritional needs to a microchip processor. This processor might activate a microelectrical mechanical system that transmits the micronutrients — either through skin pores or pumped directly into blood capillaries.

Benefits:

Improved Performance…Nutraceuticals transmitted by the TDNDS could reduce combat-related stress, such as muscle fatigue and the physical problems that accompany prolonged exposure to cold weather and high altitudes and conceivably signal a soldier’s brain that he still has nutrient reserves to draw upon. Civilian Applications…This delivery system could meet the nutritional needs of workers in stressful, hazardous work environments — such as miners, oil riggers, firefighters, chemical production workers, police bomb squad members and astronauts involved in space walks.

yea, but won't you still be hungry?

It's calories that's needed not vitamins and minerals.

And that's an improvement?
Denny's/Stake N Shake/et al is the reason I go out drinking.

But where would those nutrients come out afterwards if a soldier is encapsulated in protective garments or in vehicles?

Into his Stillsuit.

Once the Draft is re-instated, the military will be flush with former couch potato cannon-fodder who carry all the calories they'll require for their short combat lifetime in their spare tires.

All they'll need will be water, vitamins, and amphetamines.  

No, really...Why are you all laughing?