I am having some difficulty making the intellectual leap to what you are implying, so I will simply answer your question. I was truly hungry a couple of times during one particular course. That was just outside Dahlonega, GA and on Eglin AFB. We didn't wear rank during those weeks and hunger, stress and sleep deprivation were a big part of our assessment. Our fail rate was well over 50%.
The only time I was "short" uniforms was during Desert Shield and Desert storm. We deployed for seven months to the Iraqi border (and eventually over) with two sets of DCUs. Due to the deployment surge we were never issued any others. It worked out. Wore one and washed one in a bucket each day. Dried it on a tent rope or the back of my HMMWV. We were all a bit threadbare going home.
I was a combat arms officer and led or commanded from platoon through brigade. I also was ADC of a mechanized infantry division. When deployed or in the field, I always ate last as did every other officer in the unit. No one went hungry and no one went improperly clothed. Though I and the brigade headquarters did get thoroughly sick of chicken cacciatore when we once occupied the end of the supply line for several weeks. After a month or two it is also not difficult to look askance at a MRE.
On the other hand, there were many times when I was indeed thoroughly miserable. So were the troops I led. But enduring cold, rain, or heat were part of the job.
Perhaps you have other experiences to offer?
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